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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 

















































THE KING 
AND HIS KINGDOM 


IN TWO PARTS 


Part I. 

Theology “ theos ” God “ logos ” Discourse- 
Discourse on God. 


Part II. 

Church Organization, What It Is, and How 
It Is Done—The Selection and Ap¬ 
pointment of its Officiary. 



by y 


» *■» 



Published by the Author 
HAMILTON, ILL, 

1902. 









T Hf >, i 8 WARY OF 

CONGRESS, 

" vo Cc>?«aa Received 



MAY. 23 1902 


Copyright entry 


CLASS 


ht<u* M- 


ft^XXo. No. I 


1*4 * 

COPY 8. * 


DEDICATION 


TO MY FAITHFUL WIFE, 

WHOSE EARNEST ANXIETY HAS 
CAUSED ITS PUBLICATION; AND WHO HAS 
SHARED WITH ME ITS LABORS- 
I INSCRIBE MY BOOK. 


-THE AUTHOR. 


Copyright 1902 
J. CARROLL STARK 



* < « \ t C ( 

l < < « 


< e < c * c 

<' c <- <• 

» f t* C) t 





Printed by Constitution-Democrat 
Keokuk, Iowa 




Preface. 


Because, for years our leading brethren have 
felt the want of something better than our present 
system of church organization; and because I have 
long known it to be as faulty in its application as 
it is unscriptural in its conception; and, that its 
tendency is to disturbances in the church of God, 
and discord among brethren in Christ; with no 
means for correcting errors, or checking heresies; 
and believing the whole system to be open re¬ 
bellion against the King Eternal, Immortal, In¬ 
visible—the only wise God our Saviour; and hav¬ 
ing waited long for some one, more competent, to 
enter a protest, against the old, and give an out¬ 
line of a scriptural system of church organization, 
that was tried under apostolic direction, and 
found to work harmoniously then in the churches. 

But all seeming to think it sacrilege, to meddle 
with our Bethany republican system, which en¬ 
franchises the child the day, he, or she, is born; I 
have taken it upon myself to set forth a scriptural 


1Y 


Preface 


system ol church organization. For it I claim no 
literary merit—no eloquence of exppression, or 
beauty of style, or wisdom of man; but a system, 
supported by correct scriptural exegeses, easily 
understood and of practical utility in its applica¬ 
tion. 

I must acknowledge myself greatly indebted to 
Paul for many suggestions; for I have consulted 
his works very largely, as also the works of the 
other apostles, which have been of great help to 
me in my investigations, also Jesus Christ and the 
prophets have assisted me much. 

I am sorry I can refer to no other writer who 
has been of much help, for since “Popular Govern¬ 
ment” has agitated the minds in the political 
world, most writers have sought to engraft it into 
the kingdom of Christ. 

I shall review no authors, but simply set forth 
in my own style, my own faith —(not views )—and 
let others make the comparison. 

Upon subjects of much controversy I have 
admitted considerable repetition; as in the dis¬ 
cussion of the Word in generation, redemption, 
and regeneration, as spoken by God, embodied in 
Christ, and preached in the gospel; and also of the 


Preface 


v 


Holy Spirit and his personal work, when embodied 
in the apostles; and his work now, through the 
church. There is also some repetition on the sub¬ 
ject of faith in its different applications; and some 
in the discussions of the form of church govern¬ 
ment. All of which seems necessary since the 
book is not written for the schools, but for the 
masses, and hence the necessity of showing the 
application to the different phases of the subjects 
considered. 

We expect it will be criticised, with severity, 
for it is not, itself, conservative. Little souls of 
much learning will criticise its style, logicians its 
logic, fogy ism its “new departure,” and men of 
God its scripturalness and faithfulness to the 
word; but we expect to reply to none. 

We expect its reading will beget thought, and 
lead some, who can, to write better; and we send 
it forth, under God, as bread upon the waters; and 
like seed sown we expect it will bring forth its 
fruit in its season. 

On the altar of truth, I would then lay my 
offering. If acceptable to God may He by His 
providences raise up men to defend it; as I know 
the prince of all darkness will attack it; but if con- 


VI 


Prelace 


trary to His word, I pray He may raise up some 
one, who will show us the right way as He gives 
it; for I know we have not as a people yet found it. 

J. CARROLL STARK. 


PART I. 


CHAPTER I. 

STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY. 

Old theories, and theological speculations have 
in the past decade been on the decline, and interest 
in them waning, and the world is calling for the 
practical in religion. This cry has become a fad 
with those unable to comprehend a theory, how¬ 
ever clearly defined. 

Righteousness goes much farther than tenets, 
and dogmas. And yet without some clearly de¬ 
fined theory,the heart is set afloat,to be carried with 
whatever currents it may chance to fall into. 
Without some well understood tenets, a man at 
once comes under the influence of his environ¬ 
ments, and is carried about with every wind of 
doctrine by the slight of men, who, with cunning 
craftiness, lie in wait to deceive; being swayed 
entirely by his surroundings, whatever his sur¬ 
roundings may be. But if a man is to be led by 
1 



2 


The King and His Kingdom 


faith, he must have something to believe. To 
have faith in a leader, one must know something 
of his character, and before we can trust him with 
confidence implicit, we must have a conception of 
his trustworthiness. 

Perhaps there is no better sign of our religious 
retrograde, than the present want of a desire to 
know the ground on which we stand, and the firm 
rock upon which the faith, once delivered to the 
saints, is based. 

The cry to act without knowing what to do, 
and to follow without knowing who is the leader, 
savers too much of carnality, partaking more of 
the flesh than of the spirit. I accept it as axio¬ 
matic that to be led by faith we must have faith 
in some leader; and to have faith in a leader, we 
must have knowledge of his character and power. 
Implicit submission must come from implicit trust, 
as the result of implicit confidence, based upon a 
proper conception of the wisdom, goodness, power 
and character, of him we trust. I cannot conceive 
of faith without trust. One who trusts without 
knowledge is blindly led without sense, and from 
safety. To be led by faith, is to be led by one in 
whom we have faith. Confidence in another, 


Statement of Philosophy 3 

makes us believe what he tells us. So faith in God, 
causes us to believe what He asserts, and do what 
He says. Such is the faith the Lord requires; 
and nothing else is acceptable to God. 

Faith is the reception of truth into the mind— 
into the spirituality of a man. The mind is made 
up of what we receive into it, by believing. What¬ 
ever I believe becomes a part of my spiritual be¬ 
ing ; a part of my mind, of myself, a part of that 
which Paul says dwells in this tabernacle, tent, or 
body. It is this which puts off this body, and puts 
on a better one when it comes into the presence of 
Christ. (2 Cor., 5.) Whatever a man receives by 
faith becomes a part of his spirituality. Believing, 
we absorb the things believed into our inner self— 
into our mind, which is thus developed into the 
likeness of what we have received. If by faith we 
take into our mind the things of Christ, our inner 
man becomes partaker of the mind of Christ, 
through the things he teaches. His thoughts be¬ 
come our thoughts, and “the mind of Christ 
dwells in us richly.” He has entered into our 
spirituality, and the image of Christ is implanted 
in our spiritual nature. We have the spirit of 
Christ. Faith is the only way by which a man 


4 


The King and His Kingdom 


can take in the spirit of another. Whatever I dis¬ 
believe I reject. Whatever I believe becomes a 
part of me — of my inner life — myself. If one, by 
faith, receives the teachings of Mahommed, he 
receives the spirit of Mahommed. If he accepts 
the teachings of Calvin, or Wesley, or Luther, or 
Ingersol, he receives the spirit ol him whose teach¬ 
ing he believes. If one has confidence in another, 
he has confidence in his words. If a man believes 
in God, he believes what He says. We can’t 
conceive of one believing in God, and doubting His 
word. We can believe in God, before He speaks, 
but if we have believed in Him, all His instruc¬ 
tions will be received as soon as spoken. 

“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted 
to him for righteousness.” He received God’s 
words into his mind, and they went into his life. 
He was led by His word from his fleshly kindred, 
and when he went forth in harmony with that 
word, he was led by faith. To be led by faith is to 
obey the teachings of our leader. Such teaching has 
taken possession of our spirits, and by faith in His 
teaching, we are led by his spirit. A man’s spirit 
goes out in his teaching, and enters into the con- 
cience, heart, and life of him who believes it. So 


Statement of Philosophy 5 

God’s teaching goes out in His word. His words 
are spirit, because they embody the thoughts of 
His spirit, and whoever receives them into his 
spirit — his mind — by faith, receives the spirit of 
God. If he obeys God’s word, he is led by the 
spirit which gave it. 

The desires, feelings, passions, and emotions 
of the outer man are of the flesh, and are contrary 
to the better judgement. The natural man 
seeks the enjoyment of his natural passions, ap¬ 
petite, and lust; and in the development of his 
spiritual or better judgement—the judgment of 
his mind, this natural law in his members wars 
against the law of his mind, and brings him 
under the control of sin, which is in his members. 
It often captivates him so that he cannot do the 
things he would — the things of his will, mind, or 
enlightened judgment. (Ro. 7.) From this, the 
stern requirments of the Jewish law could not 
deliver him. “The law was just and good,” but 
his sympathies, emotions, and pleasures, were all 
on the fleshly side, and fear of justice could not 
hold him in restraint. 

Where then must he look for deliverance ? It 
must come through the captivitating influence of 
the loving Christ, as He is set forth in the gospel. 


6 


The King and His Kingdom 


The law was just, and holy, but captivated 
with the enjoyments of the flesh, and pleasures of 
life, he could not keep it. Man acts from love. 
Out of the good treasures of the heart, are brought 
forth things which are good. If the heart is 
fleshly, carnal, and selfish, it will bring forth that 
which is bad. (Luke, 6: 43-45.) To overcome 
the flesh, it was necessary to show the loveliness of 
obedience in the character of Jesus Christ, which, 
to the one spiritually cultured, would make a life 
like His, transcendently more enjoyable, than a life 
of fleshly pursuits. 

Thus by looking into the face of Christ, by 
whom we are captivated, we are changed into his 
image step by step,—“from glory to glory, as by 
the spirit,” or teaching of God in His word. 
(2 Cor., 3: 17-18.) 

The Lord is that spirit by which the change is 
wrought. We are transformed by the renewing 
of the mind, into a proving, or the showing in life, 
what is acceptable to the will of God. (Ro. 12:1-2.) 

This must come through the revelation of 
God, and this revelation must be taken by faith — 
by the act of believing it—into our mind before it 
can reach the affections, and lift a man from the 


Statement of Philosophy 


7 


fleshly into higher conceptions of spiritual beauty 
and loveliness. Faith in spiritual teaching is the 
only way the heart can be reached and attuned to 
heavenly minstrelsies. God puts no difference in 
men, purifying the hearts of all by faith. Not be¬ 
cause of faith, but faith in the word of God, 
revealing the charms of righteousness, and the 
love of the Crucified, is the means by which the 
heart is cleansed from sinful lusts, and fleshly de¬ 
sires, and made to delight in the glory of the 
spiritual—the heavenly. 

Being delivered from our carnal enjoyments 
through the wonderful loveliness of Christ, in His 
manifestations of the word embodied in the flesh, 
we no longer delight in seeking after that which 
is carnal, for the culture of our spirits has quick¬ 
ened our bodies to spiritual energy, and made 
them alive to God by the spirit of the teach¬ 
ing which we have imbibed, and which now dwells 
within us. We have taken the teaching of God’s 
word into our minds, by faith, until our spiritu¬ 
ality is cultured into a development “from glory 
to glory,” till it has overshadowed the flesh, and 
we are led by our cultured spirit in the way of 
right; proving, or approving the things acceptable 


8 The King and His Kingdom 

to God, instead of being led by our fleshly appe¬ 
tites, passions and lusts. Such are led by faith in 
the word of God—led by the spirit of God through 
faith. 

Without teaching there could be no faith. 
Faith comes by hearing the word, (Ro. 10: 17.) 
and when thus received, it overcomes the worldli¬ 
ness of the flesh, because the mind, or spirit, is 
exalted above the force of fleshly instincts, and 
passions. 

To have such a faith, we must have a clear 
conception of God, and Christ. The truth must 
be preached in its fulness. Men’s reason must be 
exalted, and enthroned. The philosophy of re¬ 
demption must harmonize with the great facts 
presented, and understood. 

Many minds cannot believe God was so bar¬ 
barously gross as to demand the terrible sacrifice 
of His Son with no philosophy to sustain such a 
demand, except His love for blood, and woe, which 
was simply transfered from man to Christ. That 
which is received into the mind by faith, must not 
only develop the concience, but it must captiviate 
the sympathies, and subdue the will. The mani¬ 
festations of God under the Old Testament 


Statement of Philosophy 


9 


dispensation, might, and did enlighten the judg¬ 
ment, but it could not restrain the flesh, with its 
passions and desires. The law in their members 
was continually warring against their better 
understanding, and bringing them into sin, where 
transgression was death. The preaching of the 
word of God, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, 
can alone deliver them, by captivating the heart’s 
sympathies, to a transforming of the life, through 
a renewal of the mind. (Ro. 12: 2.) The spirit of 
God has by this means, not only renewed the 
mind, but also won the heart’s affections, and 
transformed the life into a joyful service of the 
loving Master, and the life they now live, they live 
by faith in the Son of God. 

Such is the work of faith, when the teaching is 
truth. Such are sanctified by the truth. “God’s 
word is truth.’’ Such a system is in perfect har¬ 
mony with the laws of the mind, and well adapted 
to human wants, as God has fashioned us. 

It is thus the heart is purified by faith, because 
the things we take into it are pure, and are 
taken in through the teaching of the word that is 
preached. If anything else is taken in, the heart is 
left impure, and depraved by being deceived. 


10 The King and His Kingdom 

Deception is of the devil. Whoever is deceived 
is led by the devil, has the spirit of the devil. 
Paul says Adam was not deceived. His was will¬ 
ful transgression. But the woman was deceived, 
and was an equal transgressor. Her woes were 
no less because she was deceived. It is truth that 
saves, if believed. It is error that damns, if be- 
leived. Belief of error, is disbelief of the truth. 
Every man believes something. It is not the act 
of believing that saves, but the things we believe. 
If you believe error it will damn } r ou. If you be¬ 
lieve truth it will sanctify you. (John 17: 17 and 
I Peter 1: 2 and I Thess. 2: 13.) 

Error is eternally injurious, and is of the devil, 
from whom every error comes. The devil saves 
no one. All error is deception, and all deception is 
from him. Eternal death, hangs upon mistakes. 
It is perilous to be wrong. Truth is of God, and if 
believed is the saving of the soul. ( Heb. 10: 39.) 

If we “Know the truth, it will make us free, 
and we will be free indeed,” Jesus has said. He also 
said: “I am the truth.” By believing the truth, you 
receive Christ into the soul. ’Tis thus he is your 
“hope of glory.” By rejecting the truth, you re¬ 
ceive error, and Christ is shut out. By following 


Statement of Philosophy 


11 


error, you are led by the devil into darkness, and 
death, and the end of all darkness is hell. 

The question is not of the act of believing, for 
all men believe something; but of what you have 
taken into the inner man. The gospel is the power 
to save, when believed, or when taken into the 
mind, or spirit of the man. The gospel only affects 
those who believe it, and hence it is God’s power to 
save, only the believer. 

Many in the days of Christ did believe, but 
were so infatuated with the fleshly they would 
not confess it, delighting more in the praise of 
men, than of God. (John 12: 43.) 


CHAPTER II. 

STATEMENT OF THEOLOGY. 

Often is the question, in some form, asked if we 
are Unitarian in belief? We answer emphatically 
“no.” Are we then Trinitarian? And with the 
same emphasis we repeat our “no.” We are far 
from endorsing the speculations of either class. 
We cannot accept the statement of the creeds, of 
one God in three, without body or parts; and find 
nothing in the Sacred Oracles about an Eternal 
Son; one of the same age of the Father. Many of 
these theological statements we reject as being in¬ 
comprehensible. Yet we have but one article to 
our creed, and every one wishing to join our ranks 
must unfalteringly subscribe to the sonship and 
divinity of Jesus of Nazereth, as the Christ of God. 
The only question we propound is concerning 
their faith in Him, as the Son of the Highest. To 
their faith in Him, and His divine mission, they 
must give incontestable proof, by being baptized 
into His name, and arising to a new life in His 
service. 


12 


Statement of Theology 


13 


We also believe in the one God, and Father of 
our Lord Jesus Christ; and we agree with Paul, 
that, “to us there is but one God, the Father, 
out of whom are all things and we by Him, and 
one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all 
things and we through Him.” (1 Cor. 8: 6.) 

Thus we find no scriptural foundation for 
ultra Unitarianism. Indeed the scriptures say 
nothing about it, but present the Son as equally 
divine with the Father, and in the work of de¬ 
veloping the race is not only one with the Eternal, 
but through Him, and by Him, the Father has 
wrought His work, and finally crowned Him 
above all principalities, and powers, and gave 
Him a name transcendantlv glorious; requir¬ 
ing all among the heavenly, the earthly, and the 
infernal to bow the knee before Him, and confess 
the majesty of His wonderful name. 

But we are equally dissatisfied with the state¬ 
ment of Trinitarianism. We cannot conceive of 
three God’s without body or parts, and one God 
in three, and three in one. Though Christ announces 
the husband and wife as one flesh, yet we know 
there is a distinction between them. He also 
assures us that Christ Jesus, and the church are 


14 The King and His Kingdom 

one, yet we know there is quite a distinction be¬ 
tween them, with Him on the throne and the 
church in the valley of woe. 

He also asserts that, He and the Father are 
one; and yet from a careful study of the sacred 
writings we learn most clearly that the work of 
the one, does not infringe upon the other, and the 
work of the Holy Spirit, does not supercede the 
work of the Father, nor the work of the Son, but 
each have their own allotment in the system 
remedial. 

The Roman Catholic statement of views is just 
as unfortunate, and unsatisfactory upon this 
subject. 

Being beyond our comprehension we shall be 
loth to accept any statement, not clearly defined 
in the Holy Oracles. To ascert? in the teaching of 
the scriptures upon the position, and power of 
Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit in their individ¬ 
ual work, is the design of our present study. 

Paul emphatically declares, “There is none other 
God but one,” (1 Cor. 8: 4), in antithesis to the 
expression, that in the world there are God’s many 
and Lord’s many; but to us—the saints, there 
is only one God and Father, and one Lord Jesus 


Statement of Theology 


15 


Christ, making a clear distinction between the 
one God and Father of all, who is above all; and 
one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all. To 
find that distinction will be the design of the pres¬ 
ent writing. 

Evidently the God of whom Paul speaks, is the 
Jehovah of the Fathers, both Jewish and patri¬ 
archal. He is declared to be the Father of our 
spirits; by whom the worlds were made; who in 
the beginning created the heavens and the earth— 
the God of all providence, the author of all laws, 
the embodiments of all attributes—of power and 
wisdom, and goodness, and truth, andjustice, and 
mercy, and love,in all their perfection and infinitude. 

He created all things, and from Him all things 
proceed. Solomon personates Him as Wisdom, 
saying: “Wisdom hath builded her house” and, 
“Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in 
the streets.” And John declares “God is love,” 
and Jesus affirms, “God is spirit;” and the ancients 
ascribe holiness to Jehovah; and it is said “mercy 
belongeth to Him”; and it is affirmed, that, “He is 
true, and in Him is no lie.” Indeed all the attributes 
that can be found in the universe, and manifested 
in His works, were in Him in all their perfection, 


16 


The King and His Kingdom 


and in perfect combination, and infinite harmony. 

In His immutability, omnicience, omnipo¬ 
tence, and infinity, He dwelt in the fulness of His 
perfections, and vastness of. His infinitude—the in¬ 
comprehensible, eternal personification of immen¬ 
sity, in spirituality, ‘ ‘from whom all things consist. ’ ’ 
The “one God”—“God alone”—“with none to 
come after Him, and none before Him,” (Is., 44: 6 
and 45 and 45:5, 6, 14, 18, 21, 22.) He is the God 
of all providence, and makes ample provision for 
all His creatures; and to Him all prayers ascend 
through Jesus Christ; as we are taught by the 
Holy Spirit how to pray, and what to pray for. 

If as the Psalmist says of His creatures, “In 
wisdom hath He made them all,” the wisdom 
must have dwelt in Him, “ere the morning stars 
sang together, or the sons of God shouted for 
joy” ; before an angel’s wing flitted through space 
unmeasured, or the song of a seraph shocked the 
silence of God—ere a universe was. 

As wisdom dwelt in Him, so in Him dwelt 
also, all the attributes found in the universe. He 
could not put into a solitary creation, that which 
He did not in Himself possess. Every attribute 
proceeding from Him, must have dwelt in Him, 
ere it went forth, 


Statement of Theology 


17 


Because God thought we think; because God 
spoke we speak; “We love because God first loved.’' 
No power could have been put into a law, except it 
was first found in God. If there is an attribute 
in the universe, it must have been in the author of 
the universe, before the universe was. 

If there is beauty in the world, or the concep¬ 
tion of beauty in us, it must have been in the Eter¬ 
nal before it could have been conferred. No evo¬ 
lution could produce it. Wisdom, thought, love, 
mercy, grace, sympathy, power, order, force, etc., 
must have been attributes of Jehovah, or they 
could never have gone forth from Him. Whatever 
attributes you find in all this vast domain, must 
surely have dwelt in Him from the beginning. If 
God had not had thought, He could not make us 
think. So of love, and speech, and sympathy, and 
pity, and mercy; and the nearer to God we get, 
the stronger are our possessions in these attributes. 
They must have been in God before they could 
have been conferred on us. Not one could grow, 
without the power to grow was given it. 

Jesus says, “God is Spirit,” and John says, “God 
is love,” and adds, “everyone that loveth is bom 
of God, and knoweth God.” Where love is, God is. 


18 


The King and His Kingdom 


Love is of the Godhead, and “he that dwelleth in 
love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” Prof. 
Drummond translates that beautiful passage, “We 
love, because God first loved.” To love as God 
loved, is the reception of God in the soul. 

Christ says, “I am the truth.” The reception 
of truth in the heart, is the acceptance we make of 
Christ; and hence there is no other way to receive 
Him but by faith—by believing the word of God, 
which is truth. We only know either, by the spirit 
God has sent into the world. So of all the attri¬ 
butes of God. The reception of them into our 
spiritual being, makes us Sons of God. With us 
they are clothed with the flesh; with God they 
are infinite. The same in essence, but different in 
degree. One who loves and admires them in us, 
loves and admires God. 

All these, and more, dwelt in Jehovah—they 
were Tehovah ere the circles of Neptune, or the 
cycles of Uranus, and of all the stars, and suns 
began. 

Before a note was heard, or an angel’s harp¬ 
string vibrated to His praise, God dwelt in the 
vastness of himself alone. Not a single creative 
energy had gone forth; but the time drew 


Statement of Theology 


19 


near. “In the beginning God created the 
heavens and the earth.” Creation had a be¬ 
ginning. “By Him all things consist.” (Col. 1: 17.) 
He made the satellites, and planets, and suns, and 
gave laws to each. He made the mighty forest 
trees, and the little artic mosses that grows amid 
the snows of the upper zones. He made the great 
leviathen, and the little animalcules of the old gray 
sea. He made the bulky mastedon, and also the 
tiny mouse. He made the boa-constrictor, 
and He made the crawling worm; and gave to all 
and each the laws which govern them; and he has 
continued to execute all these laws since time be¬ 
gan. The execution of a law, requires vastly more 
than the making of it. A little gathering at our 
capital can make our laws, but it requires the 
whole national police, with the moral support of 
the nation, and the force of the whole army per¬ 
haps, to execute them. Laws will not execute them¬ 
selves. It was not enough to start Uranus in his 
flight; he must be held in his orbit. 

The power that surveyed his first circle, must 
go with him through all his cycle. The greatest 
fallacy, outside of the darkness of the abode of the 
damned, is to think blind nature runs alone, or, 


20 The King and His Kingdom 

herself executes her laws. ’Tis hard to learn what 
nature is. Sometimes men talk of nature as her 
laws—the laws of nature as the supreme thing. 
But laws have no power of themselves. They are 
but the rules of government—the rules by which 
the governor controls the governed. Some¬ 
times they talk of nature’s laws; then what is 
nature which owns, and executes, and controls the 
laws? And daily, hourly, aye, every moment 
watches them with such vigilance. Why not call 
that being God, and worship him as he himself re¬ 
veals we should? 

“The heavens declare the glory of God and the 
firmament showeth His handy work. Day unto 
day utteretli speech and night unto night showeth 
knowledge.” It did not come by blind chance. 
“Night and day showeth knowledge” in the maker. 
’Tis thus the great and mighty God, whose won- 
derous power, and wisdom, is seen in His creative 
work, is just as clearly seen in His protecting care 
and providence, as when He said “Let there be 
light’ ’ ;and the aurora sparkled on His vast domain. 
He is still the “Father of light from whom cometh 
every good and perfect gift.” (Ja. 1: 17.) 

To Him we offer prayer and praise. He is the 


Statement of Theology 


21 


Father of all merices. We should not pray to 
Jesus Christ, but to the father in His name. We 
pray not to the Holy Spirit, but as the Holy Spirit 
teaches. 

God is still the God of providence, and the 
Father of mercies; as when His ancient people 
walked beneath the pillar of fire, onward toward 
the promised land—the same unchanging, un¬ 
changeable God. He is the Father of our Spirits; 
and we are sons, and daughters, of the Lord 
Almighty. In every need we look to Him. He 
knows our frame, and to Him, as children of a 
lather, we look for gifts. To Him alone we pray 
and offer thanks, for He is our Father, and the 
God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus 
says, “Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my 
name.” 

Never did Jesus teach us to pray to Himself; 
but to the Father through Him, our advocate. 
Jesus says: “Enter your closet, and shut your 
door, and pray to your Father who will hear in 
secret, and Himself reward you openly.” 

Much might, and ought to be said on prayer. 
Not that we might learn to say our prayers, but 
that we might learn to pray. The man who prays 


22 The King and His Kingdom 

will need no form of prayer, expecting to be heard 
for nice speaking. The spirit within Him will 
make intercessions with groanings which 
he cannot utter; but he who “kno weth what we 
have need of, before we ask Him,” will not need 
that it be read from a book. 

Let us learn to pray. Lord teach us to pray, 
and not to say our prayer—to pray as we ought 
to our “Father who art in heaven” “from whom 
cometh each good and perfect gift” and not to the 
Son or the Spirit. God is the Father of mercies, 
the God of all comfort, who sendeth rain and 
makes the flowers bloom, and corn in valleys 
grow.” “By Him we live and move and have our 
being”; for from Him went forth all things we be¬ 
hold. To Him belongeth all praise and thanks¬ 
giving, for from Him all blessings must flow. 

No image can represent Him; no likeness in 
heaven, or on the earth reveals Him. He is spirit 
and must be subjective, to men, and not objective. 
Through the first, and second Dispensations He 
was not an object of worship, but a subject. Men 
worship their idea, or conception of God. 

It was a mistake when the Samaritans said, 
“we worship the same God.” To worship the 


Statement of Theology 


23 


same subjective God we must have the same con¬ 
ception of God, and His attributes, and infinitude. 

To call Him by the same name, does not make 
Him the same God to all. By worship, we assimi¬ 
late ourselves to the being we worship. This is 
the law of all worship, and is as certain as the law 
of cause and effect. 

It was necessary that He, who, to the patri¬ 
archs, and Jewish fathers, was subjective, should 
embody Himself in a form objective, that all who 
believe in Him may have the same conception of 
His character, and image. Nothing less could 
bring unity to His people, and harmony among 
His followers. The subjective God must be chang¬ 
ed to an objective God. 

Nothing less could save men from idolatary. 
Those who held Him as a fountain of light, would 
find an image of Him in the sun; or of strength, it 
would be in the leader of their herds, etc. 

Since man was found incapable of perfect 
spiritual worship, the ‘ ‘express image of His per¬ 
son” or being, embodying all His attributes—a 
perfect representation of Himself—must be intro¬ 
duced to a lost race, in order that all men may 
worship the same God in harmony and unity. Thus 
in Christ was united the subjective and objective 
God. 


CHAPTER III. 

THE WORD. 

All the attributes of Jehovah were within Him, 
but as yet without manifestation or effect. While 
in Him, these attributes in their combination were 
God, for each being infinite in itself, they were in¬ 
finite in their combination, and the combination 
was infinite in its completeness, so that nothing 
was wanting in Him, but “In Him all fullness 
dwelt.” 

While all His attributes were within Him, they 
had no effect upon anything outside of Himself. 
We have no sympathy whatever with pantheism; 
that God permeates the universe as simply the life 
of matter; as the human soul dwells in the mater¬ 
ial body taking the control thereof, and imparting 
to it life, or action; but possessing all these attri¬ 
butes He dwelt within Himself; in the fullness of 
spiritual infinitude. All that was spiritual was 
embodied in Him, but as yet all were unexercised. 

With the power to create, not a world was 

24 


The Word 


25 


made; with wisdom to arrange a universe, noth¬ 
ing was done; with love to save the lost, there 
were none to loose. Dwelling in all His attributes, 
and all His attributes dwelling in Him, there was 
nothing made until the power to create went forth 
from Him, or was from Him expressed. I use the 
word “express” in its primary latin signification. 
The power within Him, must go forth from Him, 
to reach that which is outside of Himself. “God is 
Spirit.” (John 4:24.) All His attributes belong 
to spirit; and to teach the material they must be 
expressed from the spiritual, personal, infinitude. 

But in the expression, the spiritual will go forth. 
His attributes are power, love, purity, etc. These 
attributes form, or comprise the Jehovah we adore. 
If He expresses his power, He puts His power into 
the expression that carries it. If He sends forth His 
love, His love goes in the vehicle which conveys it. 

If His love is found in man God dwells in that 
man. (1 John 2nd and 4th.) If he puts power into 
His word, He puts Himself into His word, and so of 
all His attributes. There is reason and philosophy 
in the remark, “The word was God.” ( John 1: 1.) 

Going out from Him—proceeding out of the 
Father, as that by which “all things were made 
that were made,” there is beauty, adaptabil- 


26 


The King and His Kingdom 


ity, and correctness, in the figure used by the 
apostle, “The first bom of every creature”— 
“called the Son of God.” All else were the creation 
of God. It takes little comprehension, to appre¬ 
hend the distinction between a paternity and a 
creation—between a cart made by a man, and a 
child bom of his life; between a man made in His 
image—the image of God; and a Son born of Him¬ 
self—proceeding out of the Father, and carrying all 
the fulness of God—the fulness of his spiritual per¬ 
sonality—“The express image of Himself. ’’ (Heb. 

1:3.) 

He received His name, and power by inherit¬ 
ance, (Heb. 1: 4), as the word of God; into which 
God put His wisdom, power, truth, love, grace, 
purity, and knowledge—Himself into His word, 
“and the word was God.” 

“By it was everything made that was made.” 
By it he winged the forest in its foliage; mantled 
the earth with its verdance; stained the flowers 
of the valleys; tinted the roses of Charon, and dec¬ 
orated the hills into loveliness. By it He gar¬ 
nished the heavens, and stayed the proud waves of 
the sea, and sent Neptune on his flight. By it He 
made Venus to sparkle, and Mars to twinkle, and 


The Word 


27 


the moon to shine. “He spake and it was done, 
He commanded and it stood fast.” He said , “let 
there be light,” and the first morning appeared. 
He said, “let there be a firmament in the midst of 
the waters,” and the atmosphere was weighed 
against the sea, and the dry land appeared. 

“He said!” “He said!" “He said!" and every 
orb in the siderial heavens commenced its circles, 
and its cycles. His power, and wisdom,light, life and 
love—His conception of order, and knowledge of 
the beautiful, all, were put into that word; and by 
it, He gave laws to all things He had made—all 
creation. 

God was not truth; He was “true and in Him 
was no lie”; and when He puts Himself into His 
word, that “word was truth,” whether embodied 
in the flesh, or proclaimed in the world. 

We cannot place a restriction upon God’s 
attributes. We cannot divide them up. You can 
not take out truth, and leave the rest. God is in¬ 
finite in all His parts, and infinite in the combina¬ 
tion. 

Where He goes, He goes in His infinite propor¬ 
tions. You can’t take God into your heart by 
taking love alone. Truth, and mercy, and justice, 


28 The King and His Kingdom 

and holiness, must all go in together with love. 
You cannot love like the Saviour, and lie 
like the devil; you cannot rob the rich with 
injustice, and give to the poor with compassion; 
you cannot be as proud as Lucifer, and as humble 
as Moses; you cannot divide up God’s attributes 
and receive what you like and reject what you 
choose, and possess God in the soul. If you love 
as God loves “God is love,” you have God in 
your heart; if the truth you receive, (Jesus says, “I 
am the truth, ’ ’) you have taken in Christ by faith: 
if you have a full, clear understanding of things 
heavenly you possess the Holy Spirit. But if you 
have hatred in the heart, and receive false teach¬ 
ing, accepting of error, and are untaught and un- 
teachable, in spirit you are develish, without God, 
and without Christ, and without hope. You can¬ 
not reject God’s truth, and receive God’s Son, nor 
His love. Whosoever receives God must receive 
Him in all His attributes. 

Truth is as dear unto God as love and mercy. 
Infinity has no darling attributes. As God is 
true, His word is truth. Truth, wisdom, power, 
light, life, law, and all went forth in God’s word. 

By His word, was man made, and for his 


The Word 


29 


development God talked with him in the garden, 
in the cool of the day; giving him instructions by 
speech as He walked beside him; talking to him as 
man talks to man. He gave him instructions in 
the right, and His word became man’s law of life. 

“The Lord said!” “The Lord said!” is the oft 
repeated declaration in the history of that age. 
He said “Thou shalt not,” and man disobeyed. 
The law was broken and man was a sinner, under 
condemnation of death, with infinite justice, and 
infinite truth, standing side by side, with infinite 
love and mercy. How then can God be just, and 
from love and mercy justify a sinner, permitting 
him to violate His laws with impunity? Were 
Neptune to violate God’s law of gravity, chaos 
would result in the heavens. If an animal for once 
violates the law of its being, death passes at once 
upon him. In the whole universe, the transgres¬ 
sion of law is sin; and the result of sin is death. 
Why then should man be exempt? If man escapes, 
God’s truth and justice has failed, and our faith is 
ruined. Since faith is the substance of things hoped 
for, our hope is gone. God is dethroned, and man 
is without hope, and without God in the world. 

Better that the whole human race should die, 
and heaven and earth disolve and pass away, than 
that one jots, or title of His law should fail. 


CHAPTER IV. 

PHILOSOPHY OF REDEMPTION. 

Since death had passed upon the race, some 
scheme must be arranged by which the trans¬ 
gressor of God’s word, may be reconciled without 
the sacrifice of God’s justice and truth. 

Many are the illustrations God has given of 
His veracity, under the old dispensation. We 
notice a few of the most striking. Under the law 
it was announced, that whoever should touch the 
ark of the covenant, except he were a priest, he 
should surely die. When David would bring the 
ark of God from the house of Abinadab, Uzzah and 
Ahio, sons of Abinadab, drove the cart on which 
it was placed; and as the oxen shook the cart, 
Uzzah, with honest intent, put forth his hand to 
steady the ark; and God smote him for his error, 
and he died. God could not tell a lie to save the 
life of one, however honest he might be. Honest 
error, though not so culpable, is equally injurious 
with willful transgression. The affect of poison is 

30 


Philosophy of Redemption 31 

the same when taken by accident, as when taken 
with malicious intent. God’s law in nature 
knows no difference. 

So also the people of Beth-Shemesh, on the re¬ 
turn of the ark from the Phillistines, ventured to 
look into it to see if any of its treasures were 
gone, and fifty thousand, three score and ten were 
cut off. God could not tell a lie to save even a 
multitude so vast. What were the lives of 50,000, 
compared with the faithfulness of God’s words and 
the assurance we have in its truthfulnes ? It came 
to the prophets of olden times, and “holy men 
spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 
Of all their utterances, we recall, “The word of 
the Lord came to Isaiah,” or Amos, Hosea, Jere¬ 
miah, or Elijah; and all the prophets. God led 
humanity only by His word; and the same power 
by which He created man, He sought to direct 
him; yet the word was disregarded, and the 
power of Jehovah was ignored by a rebellious 
people. How then can God be just, and let the 
rebel live ? This was the wonderment of the ages. 
In the temple, in the “Holiest of all,” were two 
seraphs, one standing at either end of the mercy 
seat ; with wings extended wide, and faces bent 


32 The King and His Kingdom 

toward the mercy seat, as if wondering how God 
can be just, and save a sinner. 

Paul says the mystery was kept secret since 
the world began, and is only revealed through the 
preaching of the gospel, (Ro. 16: 25 ) and Peter 
says, “The things which are reported by them 
who preach the gospel with the Holy Spirit sent 
down from heaven, the angels desired to look 
into. (I Peter 1: 12.) But to them it was a 
mystery, and the vail,even to the angels,was not up¬ 
lifted until the word was made flesh, and the Son 
of God was born in Bethlehem, to die in our com¬ 
mon humanity for the race. It was then they 
saw the plan, and gathering on Judea’s hill-tops 
sang, “Glory to God in the highest,” for now 
there can be peace on earth, (reconciliation) and 
good will from heaven towards men. This is the 
first indication of angelic glimpse, of human re¬ 
demption. It was, to them, a mystery till the 
word, which John says their “hands had handled ” 
and their “eyes had looked upon,” was made 
flesh — born the Son of God —the Emmanuel; God 
with us. That mystery is only revealed to men 
through the preaching of the gospel of the Cruci¬ 
fied, as the Son of God, through the embodiment 
of the word of God. 


Philosophy of Redemption 33 

Whoever introduced a bleeding sacrifice for sin, 
must have had Cal very in view. From no human 
standpoint is there any connection between a 
bleeding animal, and a sinner’s guilt. What rela¬ 
tion is there between a dying lamb, and a guilty 
conscience ? What is there in all the earth to beget 
the idea of an analogy ? And how, from human 
reason, could such a thought ever have entered 
into the world ? 

Yet animal sacrifice has prevailed, both among 
the orients and the Occidents. Wheresoever Adam’s 
posterity have wandered from the door of Noah’s 
tent, they seem to have carried that institution of 
the patriarchal age, and offered a bloody sacrifice 
for a sinner’s guilt. This indicates that it must 
have been instituted when the race was in family 
unity, and was then respected by all. 

What started such an idea in every family that 
went out into the world, and gave it such promi¬ 
nence that every nation, tribe or people, practiced 
it for thousands of years? The bible gives the 
only consistent account of its introduction, and it 
can be understood only with the idea of the 
embodiment of the word of God in humanity, for 
a sacrificial offering on Calvary. Then the figure 


34 


The King and His Kingdom 


is perfect, and we understand that Jesus was slain 
in the figure of a lamb, from the foundation of the 
world. The “world” in this passage has refer¬ 
ence to society. God founded society in worship, 
and there is no society without worship. There 
can be none. 

It takes two or more to make society; and the 
selfish man, dwelling in himself alone, can be so¬ 
ciety for none. One must take others into his 
heart, or he dwells alone; no matter how thickly 
populated may be his surroundings. No environ¬ 
ments can give society to the selfish soul; and 
there is no development of the heart but in wor¬ 
ship. When God organized society just outside of 
Eden’s gate, He gave the altar and sacrifice as the 
foundation thereof, and in the lamb, was Christ 
slain by figure. The figure was a complete repre¬ 
sentation of Jesus without a sin-scar; and the un¬ 
blemished lamb was a beautiful figure of His per¬ 
fect life. Ask the German pantheist, or the French 
rationalist, who have each written a book of his 
wonderful life, if it were not faultless? The sinner 
laying his hands on the head of the spotless lamb 
confessed his guilt, and transferred his sins to the 
victim, and the lamb suffered the penalty of the 


Philosophy of Redemption 


35 


law. There is no philosophy in heaven,or on earth, 
that permits the lesser to atone lor the greater. A 
sheep cannot atone for a man. There is reason, as 
well as revalation in Paul’s statement, that, “It is 
impossible for the blood of lambs and of goats to 
take away sin.” In it, there was only a remem- 
berance made of it from year to year. Nor could 
the angels around the throne of God, all offered in 
a slain hecatomb, redeem us from a single sin. It 
was not a holocaust demanded; but the violated 
law must be taken out of the way. This, Paul 
says was done, “nailing it to the cross.” T’was 
thus, He blotted out the things written against us, 
triumphing over all powers that stood in our way; 
that justice and mercy might kiss each other, and 
man return to his fathers house. 

Man must die or the law that condemned him 
must die. 

Nothing but the sacrifice of the violated word 
could save the transgressor, and God’s truth, and 
throne. That word embodied in humanity, only 
could make atonement for him who had trans¬ 
gressed it. This is the only consistent philosophy 
of redemption. With Christ in view, as the word 
of God, taking the place of the transgressor, there 


36 


The King and His Kingdom 


is a beauty in the figure of a sin-offering, pointing 
to the lamb, that taketh away the sin of the 
world. 

But there is another side to sacrifice. It is a 
confession of guilt; and an acknowledgement of 
the just deserts of the sinner. The unblemished 
lamb represented man in his pristine purity; and 
taking sin upon himself, he passed into death, with 
the fires of God’s wrath to consume him. The 
sacrifice of a bloody victim, is a ceremony of 
heavenly wonder, when considered with Christ, 
and sin in view. 

It must have been instituted by Jehovah him¬ 
self, with the whole plan of human redemption be¬ 
fore Him. 

It is the only philosophy by which a world 
could be saved; and a proper understanding of it, 
settles the question of the inspiration of the book; 
and beautifully explains the mission of Jesus into 
the world. It was necessary the violated word 
should be embodied in man to show the grandeur 
of human development under the control of the 
word of God; and also to die that man might go 
free from having transgressed it, and leave God 
just when justifying the transgressor. 


Philosophy of Redemption 37 

The word of the law must be taken out of the 
way, that the transgressor of the law may live. 
Under the Old Dispensation, those seeking a stay 
of execution, came forward to the death of Christ, 
through the figure of a bleeding sacrifice; while we 
on this side of Calvery, go back through the figure 
of an empty tomb, 

In both figures, sin is acknowledged, and 
atonement sought in the death of Christ. In both 
we go by faith in the word of God command¬ 
ing it; as did Abel, who by faith offered unto God 
more sacrifice than Cain; and by it he obtained 
witness that he was right, (righteous) God testi¬ 
fying in his gifts. God testifies to our acceptance 
in the acts we perform. The acts must come from 
faith in Him who commands them. 

The philosophy of the requirement needs not to 
be understood by the one who performs it. The 
mechanic may not understand the philosophy 
of the machinery he is working on. He 
works by draft and his confidence is in the 
one who made it. He works by faith. Faith in 
the draftsman; and consequently faith in the draft. 
That is all faith means. So a man must be saved 
by faith in God, sufficient to carry out the plan He 


38 The King and His Kingdom 

has revealed. Any hesitancy is doubt, and doubt 
is unbelief. ’Tis thus we are said to be saved by 
faith; aud not, as some seem to think, because of 
faith. One makes faith the agent, and the other 
makes it a work of reward—a work of merit—and 
salvation outside of obedience; or salvation from 
the effect of sin while still a transgressor, or while 
yet walking in sin—salvation in sin, not from sin; 
for all disobedieuce is sin. To save from sin is to 
bring us into righteousness or right doing— ; ‘Who¬ 
ever does right is righteous”; and the standard of 
God’s righteousness is the Gospel; (Ro. 1: 17), 
and faith means the acceptance of that standard. 
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent 
sacrifice than Cain.” His was a sin-offering and 
pointed to Christ; while Cain acknowledged 
God’s providence, and offered a thank-offering. 
God never accepts a thank-offering from a sinner. 
“Your inequities have separated between you and 
your God, and your sins have hid his face from 
you, that He will not hear.” (Is. 59: 2.) All 
communion with God must be after sin has been 
taken out of the way, 

The Father must be approached through 
Christ. His death is for the reconciliation. 


Philosophy of Redemption 39 

Through it, and it only, can the law be satisfied, 
and man may come into God’s presence acceptably 
through Christ Jesus. 

Cain was a deist and the father of deism. He 
believed in God as a God of providence; and was 
willing to make an acknowledgement of His gifts 
and care, by a return of a portion of what He 
had given. In His offering there was no Christ; no 
call for atonement; no confession of sin. He be¬ 
lieved in the father-hood of God in a sense, and 
acknowledged His care and providence; but con¬ 
ceit, with him, took the place of faith, and he dis¬ 
carded God’s teaching for his own judgement. 

“By faith Abel offered unto God.” (Heb. 11:4.) 
Nothing can be done by faith without a command 
to do. God therefore had commanded the offer¬ 
ing of a lamb. Abel was keeper of the flocks, and 
had a lamb to offer; but Cain was a tiller of the 
ground and had no lamb. Previously he had ex¬ 
changed, or in some way obtained his lamb for 
sacrifice; but 11 In process of time” (Gen. 21: 3), 
he seems to have reasoned, that God knew, and 
judged the heart, and it was only sacrifice He 
asked, and he need not exchange with Abel; he 
would simply offer what he had. From his stand- 


40 The King and His Kingdom 

point it was as valuable as a lamb, and perhaps 
more so. God had not explained to him why He 
asked a lamb, as He had not explained it to the 
angels. He proposed to sit in judgement on God’s 
plan, and act from his own philosophy, instead of 
faith—trust in God’s wisdom. By so doing he 
spoiled the figure, and became an example of un¬ 
belief. All such are Cainites and belong to the 
school of philosophy, instead of faith. They reject 
the blood of Christ, by rejecting the figure God 
appoints, by which a man of faith—of trust in 
God—may come to the blood of the atoning sac¬ 
rifice. Since the lamb could not take away sin, 
as “It is not possible for the blood of bulls and of 
goats to take away sin.” (Heb. 10: 4.) They 
only point to the sin-offering, in the death of the 
law, and were a figure of that, which was to 
come.” It was the sacrifice of God’s word—the 
law by which man was condemned—that justified 
the sinner. Nothing else could save. 

Under the Patriarchal Dispensation, the offer¬ 
ing, after the one who sought atonement had laid 
his hands upon it, and made confession, was taken 
by the father, acting as priest for the family, who 
killed it, and dressed it according to the law of 


Philosophy of Redemption 41 

sacrifice, and after preparing the altar, laid all the 
appointed pieces in order upon the wood, and God 
accepted it, by sending down fire from heaven up¬ 
on it. The one who made it, knew by sight 
whether, or not he were accepted. Abel’s offering 
was accepted; but no fire came upon Cain’s altar, 
and he knew he was not accepted. “God testified 
in his gift”; (Heb. 11: 4) not in his heart. 

Under the Jewish Dispensation the offering 
was carried to the door of the tabernacle, where 
the altar was always prepared, for it was always 
being used, by, and for some one; and God com¬ 
manded the fire, after it had once come down, to 
be kept burning, and every offering burned with 
that fire, was accepted by God, the same as if fire 
had come directly from heaven. 

The Jew by faith prepared his offering, and 
when he saw it burned with that fire he knew 
God had accepted it; for God had promised. 

It was not necessary for him to see the fire 
come down. He knew, if it were such an offering 
as God had appointed, and if prepared by faith, 
and burned as God commanded, God had prom¬ 
ised to accept it; and his joy would be commensur¬ 
ate with his faith. Thus in the development of 


42 The King and His Kingdom 

the race, God moves from the realm of sight, to 
that of faith. 

No strange fire was allowed to be used in the 
service, as in the case of Nadab and Abihu. 
(Lev. 10: 1-2.) 

When the fire had gone out upon the altars in 
Samaria, and Elijah made a test with the 
prophets of Baal, God again sent fire upon the 
altar of Elijah, in acceptance of his sacrifice. Cain 
knew he was not accepted and his birthright was 
gone, and God told him it was for wrong doing. 
“Ifthoudoest well, shalt thou not be accepted? 
and unto thee (as the first bom,) shall be his 
(Abel’s) desire, and thou shalt rule over him. But 
if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” 
(Gen. 4: 7.) 

Abel’s faith led to obedience, while Cain’s pre- 
sumptious unbelief caused him to sin. 

Abel’s obedience pointed to the coming humili¬ 
ation of the word of God, in its sacrifice for sin, 
and its acceptance was a manifesting of the plan 
of redemption, through the word, as the la w, 
which must be taken out of the way by nailing it 
to the cross, in order that man might be recon¬ 
ciled to God, through the body God had prepared 


Philosophy of Redemption 43 

Him. All before Christ’s death came to His blood 
through the figure of sacrifice; as all who come 
after him go back to him through the figure of 
baptism—a burial and resurrection, which is be¬ 
tween us and His death. (Ro. 6:1-4, Col. 2:10-13.) 

Thus the word was slain, as the Anointed of 
God, from the foundation of the world in the 
figure of a lamb, without spot, or blemish. 

Such a conception is in harmony with reason; 
exalts the Word to the Divinity of God himself, as 
it goes from God, bearing the wisdom, and power 
of the Eternal within it; with all the Divine 
attributes embodied. 

There was a time when it had not gone forth; 
but there never was a time when the Divine attri¬ 
butes, of wisdom, power, purity, truth, love, holi¬ 
ness, and all that God put into it, were not. 

It was bom out of Himself; the first of all 
creation; and by Him—the Word—were all things 
made that were made. “In Him was life” “and 
the life”—not animal life, but spiritual—“was 
the light of men” (John 1: 4.) The light of God, 
“to lighten every man’s way that cometh into the 
world” was the Word of God. (Ibib.) Even the 
Holy Spirit, like the Father, must lighten every 


44 The King and His Kingdom 

man’s pathway, by the word. This takes away 
the Father’s responsibility for sin, and makes 
man morally responsible for transgression. 

Can such a conception be had without a full 
conviction of the Divinity of the book, as a revela¬ 
tion from God? The plan conceived, and pre¬ 
figured 4,000 years before, was fulfilled in the 
sacrifice on Calvary; and was the only rational 
plan by which God could be just, and justify the 
transgressor of His word—His Divine Word. 
There is nothing so wonderful in the annals of time. 


CHAPTER V. 

THE ETERNAL WORD. 

If, as Paul says, Jesus the Christ were “the 
first bom of every creature” there must have been 
an epoch, (not a time for it was before time was) 
when he dwelt in the bosom of the Father, not yet 
bora. (John 1:18.) 

Paul says Levi was in the loins of Abraham 
when Melchiseclec met him, and in Abraham paid 
tithes. (Heb. 7: 9.) 

Then the Son, being in the bosom of the father 
from Eternity, was as eternal as the Father him¬ 
self. If the word of God was bora of God’s lips, as 
he went forth from God, then in the Father, he 
was the wisdom, power, light, life, and all that 
the Father put into the word as He sent it forth 
on its mission of creation. It could not be the 
Eternal Word, because the speaker must preceed 
the speech. 

As God is true He put that attribute into His 
word, and the word was truth. God cannot be 


45 


46 The King and His Kingdom 

called the truth for truth is something spoken; but 
“God is true; and in Him is no lie”; and therefore 
“His word is truth.” If God is wisdom herself 
(Prov. 1: 20,) He put His Eternal Wisdom into 
His word; and His word was the expressed wis¬ 
dom of God. 

The wisdom of God thus went out into the 
world. Can any think of any other way it could 
go forth? “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth 
her voice on the streets; she crieth in the chief 
places of concourse saying , etc., (Prov. 1. 

Humanity knows no other way that wisdom 
can go forth, expressed from God. So if God was 
the embodiment of power—a God of power—the 
power either remained within Him or it was 
sent forth from Him. If it remained within Him, 
it reached nothing outside of Him. To reach that 
outside of Him it must be sent forth on its mission. 

It either went forth in thought; which it could 
not do for thoughts are within and remain within 
—(if there is thought without speech)—or, it went 
out in manipulation—which it could not for God 
is spirit. As my thoughts from within me, go 
forth, expressed in words, so God spoke His wis¬ 
dom, truth and power, yea, all His attributes 


The Eternal Word 


47 


were thus made known, and by His word, He sent 
them all forth on their mission. 

His word then was as divine as Himself. He 
“expressed Himself ’ in His word. 

If God were power itself, from eternity, and 
He put that power into His word so that by it, 
suns, and stars were made, and “by it every thing 
was made that was made,” then the power that 
went forth in the word, was the eternal power of 
the Eternal God. Paul says Jesus inherited His 
name from the Father, then all He inherited was 
the Father from eternity, and hence the wisdom, 
truth, and power of the word, was eternal wis¬ 
dom, eternal truth, and eternal power. But these 
attributes constitute God, and “God is Spirit.” 
We thus learn what spirit is, which will help us in 
the discussion of that subject. 

God is spirit and God is holy, therefore God is 
Holy Spirit. If His attributes constitute God, 
they constitute the Holy Spirit also, and hence the 
Holy Spirit is properly defined as the spirit of 
power, spirit of truth, spirit of love, spirit of wis¬ 
dom—the spirit of God. The spirit thus put into 
the word was eternal spirit, and all that was em¬ 
bodied in the word was eternal. As God is spirit 


48 


The King and His Kingdom 


—eternal spirit, the eternal spirit went forth, from 
the Eternal God, into the word, and the “Word 
was God.” (John 1:1.) 

As my words which go forth from me are not 
literally me, for they have gone from me, and I re¬ 
main, yet in them I have put my wisdom, thought 
power—my spirit; so it can be truthfully said 
“My words and I are one.” So if the words of God, 
embody His spirit and carry life, it may truthfully 
and philosophically be said “They are spirit and 
they are life.” 

As no man knows my thoughts, wisdom, spirit, 
but by my words, ‘ ‘So no man knoweth the Father’ ’ 
—His will, wisdom, etc.,—“But the Son, and he to 
whom the Son will reveal Him.” As the word is 
called the Son of God, there is no revelation of the 
Father but by the word. 

If the Holy Spirit would make aught of the 
Father known to the world, he must do it by the 
word. “He shall testify of me.” “What he shall 
hear”—in the counsels of heaven—“that shall he 
speak.” In those counsels God did not simply re¬ 
solve to make man; but He ‘ ‘said; let us make man. ’ ’ 

As all things were made by the word of God, 
the words which went forth from God—out of His 


The Eternal Word 


49 


month—(Is. 55: 11)—were bom of God—bom first 
of all creation—“The first bom of every creature.” 
When in God, and unspoken it was the wisdom, 
authority, power—the spirit of God—to create; and 
when it went forth it carried His wisdom, author¬ 
ity and power in generation; and when He sent it 
forth on another mission, it carried His wisdom, 
authority, and power in regeneration and sanctifi¬ 
cation. 

It could have been the eternal wisdom, author¬ 
ity, power and all attributes—the spirit of the 
Eternal before it became the word. God was the 
“I am” before He spoke. The elements of the 
word were with the Father eternally; but the 
word itself had an epoch of beginning—not creat¬ 
ed—but born of God, by which creation was done. 

This is comprehensible and rational as well as 
scriptural. From an oversight of these easily un¬ 
derstood facts, has come the long discussion of the 
Trinitarians and Unitarians. 

It leaves us not on the untenable ground ol 
two or more Gods. Nor do we have to reject the 
authority and redemption of Jesus the Nazarene, as 
the Son of the Highest; but we have the one God 
and Father above all and over all, and His word 


50 The King and His Kingdom 

which went forth from Him embodied in the flesh 
as the Son of the Highest; “by whom are all 
things, and we by Him.” 

This word is the only approach God can have 
to the department of morals. 

The least introduction of dynamic force de¬ 
stroys moral responsibility. When holy men re¬ 
ceived the Holy Spirit in its personality, it took 
possession of their persons, and they spoke what 
they were made to speak. (2 Pet. 1: 21.) What 
they said, was a light shining in a dark place, 
(V. 19) by which the world must walk. The 
prophet was no more responsible for what he said, 
than the dumb ass that spoke with man’s voice. 

He who acts from the personal influence of a 
spirit that takes possession of him, whether that 
spirit be of man through hypnotism, of the devil, 
or of God Himself, is not responsible for what he 
says or does. But when another is led by the 
word he speaks while under such personal influ¬ 
ence; that other one is morally responsible. But 
more of this hereafter. 


CHAPTER VI. 

BIRTH OF THE SON. 

To meet the necessities of the Divine plan, it 
was proper God should in some way sacrifice His 
word, that He may be just in exemplifying His won¬ 
derful love. His word must be sacrificed without 
destroying its veracity; and in a manner that will 
reveal to earth’s intelligences the wonders of 
Divine love and mercy. 

“God so loved the world, that He gave His 
only begotten Son”—the only being in the universe 
that was bom out of Himself—‘ ‘that whosoever 
believeth in Him might not perish, but have ever¬ 
lasting life.” 

For this purpose the “Holy Spirit came upon 
the Virgin, and the powers of the Highest over¬ 
shadowed her, and the holy being begotten was 
to be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1: 35.) 

As the Holy Spirit throughout the ages pro¬ 
duced the word of God; as “holy men spoke as 
they were moved—made to speak—“by the Holy 

51 


52 The King and His Kingdom 

Spirit”; so that which was thus conceived from 
the Holy Spirit was the word of God. (John 1: 1.) 

All the wonders and powers of that word in 
creation, when first bom out of God in the begin¬ 
ning, was put into that holy being who was to 
represent God on this earth. As Levi paid tithes 
in Abraham, long before his grandfather Isaac 
was bom; not as Levi but as Abraham; so Jesus 
was with the Father through eternity; not as the 
Son, but as the wisdom, power, truth, love—all 
the attributes of the Almighty—before that wis¬ 
dom, love, power, etc., went forth, or were exer¬ 
cised in creative energy; but never was counted a 
Son until bom in Bethlehem. When bom of God’s 
lips, as the first bom of every creature, He was 
the word of God sent forth with wisdom and 
power manifold. But when embodied in human¬ 
ity, He was the Son of God on the earth with all 
the wisdom, truth, power, love, light, and life, God 
put into His word in the beginning. To demon¬ 
strate that, was His mission work among men. If 
the word of God could establish a law by which 
water is made wine in the grape, by a process of 
sipping it from the soil, through the cellular tissues 
of the vine into the fruit; the same word, without 


Birth of the Son 


53 


process could make water, wine in the jar. The 
power is in the word of the law, and not in the 
process. 

The same word that could wing the forest with 
foliage and beauty, and cloth the earth with ver¬ 
dure, and set the day for her fruitage, could re¬ 
buke the fig-tree into withering death. The same 
word which could form man out of the dust, and 
breathe into him the breath of life, and make him 
a living soul; could in its embodied form, take the 
damsel already formed by the hand, and by a 
“Talitha Cumi” bring life to her again. Or by its 
echoing tones, reach the foul darkness of Lazarus’ 
grave, and lift his putrid form from death’s em¬ 
brace, and leave him standing at his sister’s side, 
bandaged with grave-clothes; yet blooming with 
life—a living man. The same word which with its 
“Be thou” in the beginning could send forth star 
after star into space, could when embodied, touch 
the bier and say “Young man arise” and the result 
is the same as at first. The same word which said 
“Let there be a firmament in the midst of the wat¬ 
ers, to divide the waters from the waters,” “andit 
was so,” could in its embodied state, when that 
firmament was disturbed, and storming winds 


54 The King and His Kingdom 

lashed Gallilee into a boisterious sea, with waves 
tempestuous, say in tones most gentle “Peace be 
still ,” and the hurrying winds, folded their wings, 
and fell at His feet like a slain dove, and the proud 
waves nestled into quiet like a babe in its mothers 
arms. The same word, which in the beginning 
could say “Let there be light” and Aurora gilded 
the heavens, could, in the man Christ Jesus, say to 
the darkened eyes “Be opened ,” and light shone 
into the blind eyes with morning freshness. Or 
with His spittle He could make clay and anoint 
the blind man’s eyes and say “Go wash ” and 
the obedience of faith, would give sight. Through 
all that wonderous life we can follow Him, till 
with the fullest assurance of faith we can receive 
Him as the all-powerful word, of the all-powerful 
God, that must die in some form, to protect God’s 
veracity, and save man from eternal, impending 
ruin. “He took not on Him the nature of angels.” 
That would have done no good. Justice could not 
punish an angel for human guilt. No form would 
answer the Divine purpose but the form of a ser¬ 
vant, who could know our weakness and become 
an exalted high-priest, to make intercession for us, 
with all our infirmities. Giving up the homage 


Birth of the Son 


55 


of angels, He passed the cohorts of the skies, and 
became deaf to the minstrelies of heaven’s lutes, to 
immerse His Godhead in human flesh and become 
the babe of Bethlehem, the carpenter of Nazareth, 
the weeping sighing pilgrim of Palestine, the 
agonizing innocent of the garden, the buffeted 
prisoner before Pilate, the bleeding victim on the 
cross, from which He passed to death and slum¬ 
bered amid its awful gloom; and broke the iron 
scepter from the grim tyrant, and wrested from 
his grasp his fatal sting, and hurled him from his 
throne of skulls, vanquished d,nd harmless for ever; 
and awoke again to life, having carried our human 
nature in His covenant grasp through tears, and 
sighs, and earth-woes, and placed it on the throne 
of God exalted forever. It is the same word in its 
humility; it is the same in its exaltation and glori¬ 
fication, that went forth in the beginning, and by 
which all things were made that were made. He 
being exalted to the right hand of God, has re¬ 
ceived all power in heaven and in earth. To Him 
every knee should bow and every tongue should 
confess among the heavenlies, the earthlies, and 
the internals, and all the universe should sound 
His praise, to the glory of God the Father from 


56 


The King and His Kingdom 


whom He came forth as the word of truth, to 
lighten every man’s path that cometh into the 
world, with the light of life. (John 1.) Let every 
people crown Him Lord of all; for He is head over 
all, God blessed for evermore. 

Into Him, with the word, went all the attri¬ 
butes of the Father. He was the express likeness 
of His personality. Having purged our sins by the 
sacrifice of Himself, God did highly exalt him and 
gave him a name above every name, and He has 
for ever set down at the right hand of God, in the 
majesty in the heavens. 

The sacrificed word is exalted King of all 
Kingdoms, and has taken the throne, having 
purged our sins, as nothing else could; and made 
God just,through the sacrifice of His word, and the 
maintainance of His veracity, in justifying the 
sinner who believeth into Jesus, that in Him, we 
ma} T be exalted with Him. “Out of Him you can 
do nothing.” There is something wonderful in the 
use of these prepositions. He is “exalted to the 
right hand of the Father "—by His side. But our 
exaltation is in Him. He says as the branch 
beareth no fruit except it be in the vine, so out of 
Him we can do nothing. (John 15.) 


CHAPTER VII. 

THE INDWELLING WORD. 

The word exemplified in the flesh, shows just 
what humanity would be if permeated, and gov¬ 
erned as fully by the word of God. His life was 
just what my life, and every other life, would be if 
controlled so perfectly by the Father’s will; and 
we have no way to ascertain the will of God but 
by the word of God. “None know the Father’’— 
His will or desires of man—“but the Son—and he 
to whom the Son reveals Him.” As that Son is 
the “Word made flesh” all revelation must come 
by the word of God. The wonderful life that 
Renan, the French rationalist writes so flatter¬ 
ingly of, would not be strange and wonderful, if 
in us all, the word of God dwelt so fully, and was 
so faithfully followed. It was a manifestation of 
the redemption of humanity through the indwel¬ 
ling of the word of God in the soul—the wonder¬ 
ful word in its fulness, and richness, controling, re¬ 
straining, guiding, moulding and developing 


57 


58 The King and His Kingdom 

humanity, into perfection and beauty. It was the 
word lived, and beautifully called the “Living 
word” of the living God. Every word and every 
act of the Divine Master, was but an exemplifica¬ 
tion of the teaching and direction of that word, 
which dwelt so fully in Him. The flesh with Him 
was completely under the control of the indwelling 
word, and the spirit of that word was the spirit 
within Him—the spirit which led and guided Him. 
Such is the connection and harmony between His 
life, and the word, that if you preach the word as 
commanded, (2 Tim. 4: 1-8) you preach Christ— 
preach the life of Christ—His sayings and doings 
—His sympathy, and blessings, and doctrine, and 
fellowship with us. 

The spirit He manifested was the spirit of the 
word—the spirit of truth, He promised to the 
saints; and whoever receives the word will be led 
by the same spirit. Between the wisdom of God 
and the spirit of God, there is perfect harmony; for 
the spirit of all wisdom is the spirit of God. God 
put His wisdom and knowledge—the spirit ol 
truth, into the truth; and whoever obeys the word 
is led by the truth, and walks in the wisdom and 
knowledge of God. And if he understands the 


The Indwelling Word 


59 


word he has the knowledge of God; and if he un¬ 
derstands it not, “the eyes of his understanding 
are darkened and he is allienated from the life of 
God through the ignorance within him. (Eph. 
4:18.) If a man keeps the word, he is led by the 
spirit of God. We can’t conceive of being led by 
the spirit and violating the word; or of keeping 
the word and violating the spirit thereof. All this 
gush about legalism is consumate folly. The law 
of the spirit of life in Christ, makes no one free from 
the law of sin and death, in our members, unless 
he keeps it —obeys its teaching and keeps its com¬ 
mands. It is a law . 

I can conceive of no difference between the 
word of Christ dwelling in us richly; (Col. 3: 16) 
and the spirit of Him who raised up Christ from 
the dead being in us. The result is the same. The 
one quickens our mortal bodies into new life and 
service; (Ro. 8) and the other as a perfect law 
converts the soul; or turns our life into righteous¬ 
ness. (Ps. 19.) If the word dwelt in Him in its ful¬ 
ness, the spirit was upon Him without measure. 
Whoever is filled with the spirit of truth—the 
spirit of God—will speak the word, as did Jesus, 
(John 3: 34) and also His Apostles on Pentecost. 


60 The King and His Kingdom 

His words were spirit and they were life. 
(John 6: 63.) Then whoever accepts the word by 
faith, into his soul, receives the spirit of God into 
his heart; and if he obeys the word, he is led by the 
spirit of God; and whoever rejects the word 
through unbelief, resists the spirit. To receive one, 
you receive the other, and to be led by one, you are 
led by the other. No man can resist the spirit till 
he has heard the word; or be born of the Spirit 
without receiving the word. 

When the word was preached at Jerusalem, and 
the Jews rejected it, Stephen charged them with 
resisting the Holy Spirit as their fathers did. 
(Acts 7: 57.) The fathers resisted the Holy Spirit 
by refusing to hear it, and “would not give ear” 
to its teaching when “God testified against them, 
by His spirit in His prophets.” (Neh. 9: 28-30.) 

Man receives the word by believing it. What¬ 
ever we believe we receive into our minds, and it 
becomes a part of us—a part of our minds—our 
spirit—a part of our inner man—ourselves. It 
enters into our entire make up, and goes out in all 
the avenues of life, entering into all our business 
relations, plans and affairs. What we disbelieve we 
reject, and it enters not into our life nor any of our 


The Indwelling Word 


61 


affairs of life. If I believe that two and two make 
four, that becomes a part of my understanding— 
a part of my inner-self and it goes out in all my 
thoughts, and in all the avenues of life. 

It enters into my business, and brings me into 
accord with all who accepts the same in faith. 
Settlements are made without discord, and con¬ 
tacts with men are harmonious, among all who have 
received the same truth. But if I disbelieve I re¬ 
ject it and come into violent contact with all I meet. 
Settlements lack harmony, and discord prevails, 
and contention and strife are the results of un¬ 
belief. Discord with God, and Christ and the 
Holy Spirit, and all who believe the word, is the 
result of unbelief. Honest unbelief is no better in 
its consequences than any other. The results are 
the same. Discord with God and all true believers, 
are the consequences of unbelief wherever it is 
found. But with the word of God received into 
the soul, by believing it with all the heart, we 
go forth in the spirit of the Redeemer, and the life 
we live, will be by faith in the Son of God, and 
Christ will dwell in us in all wisdom, and we will 
be in harmony with all true believers, as all believ¬ 
ers are in harmony with God, and Christ, and the 


62 


The King and His Kingdom 


Holy Spirit, and truth, and all righteousness, for 
he that doeth right is righteous. We will cause no 
discord in any of our associations with righteous¬ 
ness, and true believers, for such will all be of the 
same mind and the same judgments. (1 Cor. 1:10.) 
The mind of Christ, given through his word, will 
dwell in us, and the life we live will be by faith in 
the Son of God, received through hearing the 
word of God, (Ro. 10: 17,) and the life and char¬ 
acter of Jesus Christ will be formed in us, through 
the labor of the ministry. (Gal. 4: 19.) Born by 
a spiritural birth unto God, through the hearing 
and receiving of the word of truth (1 Pet. 1: 28; 
la. 1: 18,) we are fed with the sincere milk of the 
word (Pet. 2: 2,) into growth, unto the fulness of 
the stature of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus prays for all that believe on Him 
through apostolic teaching, that they may be one. 
(John 17: 20-21.) It is impossible that this prayer 
should not be answered. 

I. Jesus knowing all things, could not pray for 
that which would not be. Could I think he did, I 
would have no confidence in prayer. 

II. He says to the Father, “I know that Thou 
hearest me always” and if he asked it, I know the 


The Indwelling Word 


63 


Father must hear it; and the prayer is fulfilled in 
all the earth, through all time. 

III. It is impossible to be otherwise. Those 
of the same faith must be of the same mind and of 
the same judgment. All who believe that two and 
two make four, are of the same mind in mathe¬ 
matics, as far as this faith goes. If one believes 
two and two make three, he disbelieves the 
former. He rejects the truth by the reception of 
error, and comes into discord with all who believe 
the truth. There is no half-way ground. One 
either believes or he disbelieves. Those who be¬ 
lieve, believe alike; those only who disbelieve differ. 
Those who understand must understand alike; 
but those who misunderstand, may differ as wide 
as the poles. Those who misunderstand, must 
always antagonize those who understand. Har¬ 
mony can never exist any more than it did between 
Christ and the Jews. 

Organic union of churches, without a union of 
faith, and understanding, would be like mixing hell 
into heaven. The discord would be like that in 
the abode of the damned, where all manner of jars, 
and discords, and dissentions, and misunderstand¬ 
ings, and doubts, and contentions, and varience, 


64 


The King and His Kingdom 


and strife, must prevail; as the centre of agnos¬ 
ticism; and the abode of agnostics, who doubt 
everything and believe nothing. 

But ’tis said we cannot believe alike. We al¬ 
ways believe alike if we believe. There is no 
middle ground. We believe or we disbelieve. 
Those who believe must be one, in the things they 
believe. Those who disbelieve may be various as 
earth’s tenantry. 

Just so with those who understand, and those 
who misunderstand. Those who understand are 
always one, and those who misunderstand are in 
opposition. “Woe be unto you when all men”— 
those who misunderstand—“speak well of you.” 

Those who misunderstand are deceived. All 
deception is of the devil. Those who believe the 
truth, are of Him, who is the truth and the life. 
Those who reject the truth are of the devil. Like 
Eve they are deceived and to unite with them 
would be to help support heresy. “If you receive 
a heretic into your house and bid him God’s speed, 
you are partaker of his sins.” (II John.) 

“Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in 
the teaching”—doctrine—“of God, hath not God.” 
(2 John 9-11.) 


The Indwelling Word 


65 


“But we can’t think alike.” He who believes 
is not expected to judge; he receives. By his judg¬ 
ment he examines the testimony, and receives or 
rejects the evidence. 

With a proper conception of Christ, as the word 
of God made flesh, it is easy to understand how 
He is preached, and received by faith, and how He 
dwells in us, and how we are led by Him. And as 
the Spirit of God gives the knowledge of God 
through the word, for Jesus says, “he shall testify 
of me,” we can easily understand how we are led 
by the spirit, and justified by the spirit, and com¬ 
forted by the spirit; when it justified the right¬ 
eousness of the embodied word. 

Thus the mystery of godliness is made known, 
and we apprehend the meaning of the passage 
from Paul, “God was manifested in the flesh” as 
the word was God and was made flesh in Jesus ; 
“justified in spirits,” as a life without a sin scar; 
“seen by angels,” or messengers chosen as eye-wit¬ 
nesses of His majesty, and by them preached to 
the gentiles;” and through their preaching be¬ 
lieved on in the world; and by God received up 
into glory. (1 Tim. 3: 16. This summarises the 
whole plan of redemption. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

EXHALTATION OF CHRIST. 

Having led captivity captive, He took the 
throne as the exalted word, crowned Lord of all 
lords. To Him was given all power—authority, 
above all principalities and powers; and a name 
above every name that is named, in the heavens 
above, or in the earth beneath. Honor and glory, 
and might, and dominion, and power, are given 
to Him; and the Father said to Him, “Sit thou up¬ 
on my throne until all thy foes shall be made thy 
footstool.” 

In His exaltation He ne’er let go of His human¬ 
ity; but still holding to His earthly experiences, He 
was enabled to be “a merciful and faithful high 
priest, in things pertaining to God”; and having 
“borne our griefs and carried our sorrows,” He 
could still be “touched with the feelings of our in¬ 
firmities.” 

Since in His exaltation, and glorification He 
was taken from among men, and could no longer 


Exhaltation of Christ 


67 


be the personal helper and guide, to His disciples; 
any instruction coming to them, must come 
through other sources than His personal ministry. 

At His last interview with His chosen, before 
leaving them He promised to send them another 
helper who would be to them all He had been, and 
take His place in their instruction. 

He plainly tells them, He is going away—that 
where He shall be, they cannot come; but they shall 
come after awhile. He said He was going to His 
Father, and they should see Him no more. No 
vision of Him ever came to them afterwards. 
There is consumate ignorance in the testimony of 
some, remarkable for nothing so much as their un¬ 
taught superstitution, who claim to have seen 
Jesus in some form, or vision, in these latter days. 
He said to the twelve whom He calls His disciples 
—the chosen before-hand for the special work, and 
given to Him by the Father—“I will send you an¬ 
other pedagogue who shall be with you and shall 
be in you.” This was not promised to the world, 
as it was expressly declared that the world could 
not receive him, neither know him; but he was to 
be given to those to whom He was speaking; as 
He said, “Ye shall know him for He dwelleth with 


68 


The King and His Kingdom 


you, and shall be in you.” (John 14: 15-17.) In 
order to a proper understanding of this passage, 
it is necessary to settle the point first of all, as to 
who are personated by the “ye” and “you” in the 
promise. Some claim the promise is given to the 
race, and pertain to the whole family of man, and 
is spoken to the twelve as the representatives of 
the race. But this could not have been the design; 
as he cuts off the world, or unbelievers, by saying 
they “cannot receive him.” This is emphatic, and 
we cannot go behind a declaration so plain and 
radical. Therefore the promise of the Holy Spirit 
was not made to the world, nor for the comfort of 
the world; and no man could receive it until he 
had in some way come out of the world; and in 
some way been separated from the world. 

If the world cannot receive him, he cannot en¬ 
ter their hearts either for conviction or conversion, 
by a personal ministry. His personal work was 
not to help, to lead, or to comfort the world. 
Or if you render the word “pedagogue,” he will 
not be to them a personal leader, and teacher. 

No! In no passage where the Holy Spirit is 
spoken of at the time of the departure of Jesus, is 
he promised as a personal manifestation or help to 


Exhaltation of Christ 


69 


the world. His personal work in the conversion 
of the world is denied by the Master. If he is in¬ 
strumental in the salvation of the world, it must 
be through some instrumentality aside from per¬ 
sonal contact. 

A man must be converted, and come out from 
the world, before he can be accounted one of the 
“you” with whom he dwelleth, and in whom he 
shall abide. 

Others think the pronoun includes all the dis¬ 
ciples of the Lord; and those then with Him, rep¬ 
resented His disciples the wide world over. 

But why then did He not have disciples, other 
than the chosen twelve, with him at the time? In 
Jerusalem, and the country round about He had 
many other disciples. 

Of women not a few, who bewailed Him on 
the march to the cross; and more than five hun¬ 
dred, of whom Paul speaks, who beheld Him at 
once after His resurrection. I can see no indica¬ 
tion that it was promised to them as represent¬ 
atives of a class; all of whom are to be benefited 
the same as were they to whom He spoke; and 
afterwards testified that they were specially given 


70 The King and His Kingdom 

Him out of the world; and for them He prayed, 
and declared them not of the world. (John 17.) 

No! In the promise they are not the repre¬ 
sentatives of all believers, as some suppose; nor is 
the promise good to all believers. It was made 
especially to the apostles that God had given 
Him, of whom He said, He had kept all but one— 
the son of perdition. And it was fulfilled to them 
only; and from them it was imparted to others, as 
helpers, only through the laying on of the apostle’s 
hands. Paul who was afterwards placed among 
them as a chosen apostle, received the same Holy 
Spirit that was promised, and on Pentecost 
vouchsafed to the eleven. It is a fatal mistake to 
suppose this personal gift of the Holy Spirit is 
promised to every disciple of the Master, as a 
guest; dwelling in, and being in each as a Divine 
personality, taking control of their acts, illuminat¬ 
ing their minds, and destroying their responsibil¬ 
ity, by taking them under His personal conduct, 
and guidance. If the young Gadarene, under the 
personal influence of the devil, was not responsible 
for His acts, I cannot see how Saul was responsi¬ 
ble, for being among the prophets. The one, was 
thrown down and torn by the spirit of the devil 


Exhaltation of Christ 


71 


within him, while the other was made to proph¬ 
esy, by the Holy Spirit that came upon him. With 
modem views of the wild operation of the Holy 
Spirit before me, I cannot understand man’s re¬ 
sponsibility. With this promise of the Holy Spirit, 
I cannot conceive of God as no respecter of persons. 
Besides such a view of the Holy Spirit’s work, de¬ 
thrones the word, God has so highly exalted with 
a name above every name, and takes the glory to 
himself, in the salvation of man. 

A careful examination of the scriptures bearing 
upon this point, will give a better idea of the mis¬ 
sion of the Holy Spirit. 

His mission to the apostles, to whom he was 
to be sent, is described (John 16: 13) to be (1) 
to guide them into all truth. If this is for every 
believer I see no object in preaching the gospel to 
the world, or teaching the saints to observe what 
the Lord has commanded. (Matt. 28: 18.) And 
(2) to bring to their rememberance what Jesus 
had said unto them; and (3) to show them things 
to come. These are admitted by all believers, as 
the work of the Holy Spirit in those to whom he 
is sent. It is not so much a question of what he 
does, as how he does it. The “how” is explained in 


72 The King and His Kingdom 

the passage so plainly, that I cannot see why it 
can be misunderstood. “He shall not speak of 
himself.’’ How will he guide them? By not speak¬ 
ing of himself; but whatsoever things he shall hear 
that shall he speak”; and in that way, “He shall 
show you things to come.” 

Nothing can be more plain then, that his work 
shall be by expressions, instead of impressions. 
Even the apostles to whom the Holy Spirit was 
given, were to be instructed, guided, and shown 
things to come, by what the Holy Spirit said, and 
not by what they felt, or experienced. That a man 
may feel deeply from the promises and instructions 
of another, has no bearing upon this point. That a 
man would rejoice in the promise of a large en¬ 
dowment is not strange; but to expect one because 
he chance to be happy would be the height of folly. 

With our oft exuberance of feelings, it would be 
very unsatisfactory to base our hope of heaven, 
and the possession of the Holy Spirit upon that 
which often depends more upon the state of the 
stomach, than the state of the heart. And often 
more upon some religious frenzy, or epidemic in the 
community, than either. Nor was it to be given at 
times and places,but he was to * ‘remain always with 


Exhaltation of Christ 


73 


them”; not sent on special occasions, but an abid¬ 
ing guest—to be in them, and work through them, 
helping their infirmities, strengthening their pow¬ 
ers, and increasing their efficiency in the direction 
of their labor. Its help was to be to the ministry, 
to make them efficient in word and doctrine, in 
preaching the Christ, by whom, and in whose 
name, all must be saved; for the gospel is the pow¬ 
er—God’s power to save. (Ro. 1: 16.) So Paul 
says to the brethren at Ephesus, “Pray for me that 
utterance may be given me, that I may open my 
mouth boldly to make known the mysteries of the 
gospel. * * * That therein I may speak boldly 
as I ought to speak.” Properly it means to act 
upon his mouth with eloquence. God saves the 
world by helping the preacher; the power of the 
gospel is exerted through the ministry. 

If we find the Holy Spirit is given to the 
ministry; to be in the man abiding guest; ‘ ‘to remain 
with them always”; that it shall be in them, not 
so much a true personal spirit, as the spirit of 
truth which the world cannot receive, for, “He 
dwelleth in you” not in them; for if the world re¬ 
ceived him, and his testimony, they would come 
out of the world into the Kingdom of God; it fol- 


74 The King and His Kingdom 

lows that he, the promised spirit of truth, must 
go to the world, not as a direct outpouring from 
heaven, for his abode is not in heaven, but in the 
temple of God on earth. (1 Cor. 3: 16 and 2 Cor. 
6: 16 and 1 Pet. 2: 5.) And he must go out 
through his temple, and from his temple, in his ac¬ 
tion upon the world. Thus, if the “Spirit of Truth 
ever reaches the sinner for his conversion, or the 
saint for his sanctification, he must do it through 
the truth; from the gifted ministry of the word. 
(Eph. 4: 8-12.) 

Through them comes the perfecting of the 
saints, the work of the ministry and the edifying 
of the body of Christ. With this accords the say¬ 
ing of the Great Teacher. (Johnl7:17.) “Sanctify 
them by thy truth. Thy word is truth.” 

By the apostles the spirit spoke the word to 
the world, and through the same apostles, in 
whom he personally dwelt, and by whom he per¬ 
sonally spoke to the saints for their guidance and 
comfort. 

Can we not understand that they derived the 
knowledge of God’s will, by that which the spirit 
spoke through them. Paul says, (1 Cor. 2: 11) 
“What man knoweth the things of a man but the 


Exhaltation of Christ 


75 


spirit of man that is in him? So no man knoweth 
the things of God but the spirit of God.” 

Jesus says, (John 16: 13,) “When the spirit of 
truth is come, he shall not speak of himself; but 
whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak.” 
What the spirit heard in the counsels of heaven 
was the word of God, and it is that he speaks, 
and not things of himself. 

Again Paul says, (1 Cor. 2: 9,) “Eye hath not 
seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the 
heart of man, the thing which God hath prepared 
for them that love Him; but God hath revealed 
them unto us by His spirit; for the spirit searcheth 
the deep things of God. * * * Now we, (the 
apostles) have received the spirit of God, that we 
might know the things that are freely given to us 
of God; which things we speak, not in words 
taught by human wisdom, but by the teaching of 
the spirit, unfolding spiritual things to persons 
spiritually inclined.” 

I can conceive of no way this could be made 
more plain. The apostles, and those spiritually en¬ 
dowed, through the laying on of the hands of the 
chosen twelve, to whom the spirit was sent as a 
personality, that they might know the things pre- 


76 The King and His Kingdom 

pared of God for them that love Him, were by 
that spirit made to speak those things, to those 
inclined to spiritual knowledge, for the comfort 
and guidance of all such, in the words which the 
Holy Spirit selected, declaring the things which 
God has in store, for them that are God loving 
and true. 

To multiply pages on a subject so clearly de¬ 
fined, would seem folly, were it not that so many 
minds are biased by education and prejudice, that 
much proof will be required, e’re the old dogmas 
will be given up. 

Jesus says, “He (the Spirit) shall glorify me, 
because he takes of mine; and declares ( anaggelo ) 
it unto you;” tells it again; repeats it to you. 
Whathediears of mine, he repeats to you, that you 
may hear it. This refers to the same persons; the 
same apostles He was before speaking of, as 
shown on a previous page. It is the same work 
of the Holy Spirit. Jesus being the embodied 
word, the Holy Spirit shall take that word (of 
mine) and declare it (repeat it) to the apostles and 
they shall declare it to the world, as the law of 
the spirit of life found in Christ Jesus, by which all 
are made free from the law of sin, and death, in our 


Exhaltation of Christ 


77 


members, for David said, “The law of the Lord is 
perfect”—(full complete and needs no help)— 
“converting the soul;” (Ps. 19.) And to the church 
it will be declared for comfort. The statutes of the 
Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. (Ibib.) 

Thus the Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ 
—the word—to convert those without, and to 
rejoice the heart of the obedient. Without the 
word no man has ever been converted to God. 
Without some word he has never been converted 
to anything. To convert to Buddism, Mohammed- 
ism, Mormonism or anything else, they must hear. 

With all the ado men make of the personal 
work of the Holy Spirit, if Mormonism is preached, 
you will make Mormans, preach Mohammedism 
and you will make Musslemen; or preach Method¬ 
ism and you will make Methodists; or Presby¬ 
terianism and you will make Presbyterians; and 
so through the whole catalogue of sects and de¬ 
nominations. But if you preach the word you will 
make Christians. And the Christians, made by the 
preaching of the word, will have the Spirit of 
Christ; as the Mohammedans, by the preaching ot 
the Koran, will have the spirit of Mohammed. 
The preaching of a Methodist or Catholic, et al 


78 


The King and His Kingdom 


through the whole catalogue; will impart the 
spirit of the things preached—the spirit of the 
preaching. The spirit of the convert will depend 
upon the teaching received. Surely the Spirit of 
God is not so diversified as to suit all; adinfinitum. 

Since the Spirit knows the deep things of God, 
“he will reprove,” or convince “the world of sin,” 
by his testimony that Jesus was all that he pre¬ 
tended to be, and yet they believed not on Him; 
“of righteousness,” because the Father has ac¬ 
cepted it, and received Him; to Himself; “of judg¬ 
ment,” by testifying to the judgment of the Prince 
of this world, through the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ from the dead. “God hath appointed a day, 
in which He will judge the world in righteous¬ 
ness by that man whom He hath ordained, where¬ 
of He hath given assurance in that He raised Him 
from the dead.” And the testimony of the Holy 
Spirit convinces the world of these things. 

Again Jesus says “He’ ’—(the spirit)— 4 ‘shall tes¬ 
tify of me.” Not of himself or of the Father—of the 
impress he has himself made, or the forgiveness 
that has taken place in the bosom of the Father, 
but he will testify of the word, and all these things 
shall be known by the word, which he will so 


Exhaltation of Christ 


79 


clearly present, that the righteousness God will 
accept will be clearly revealed through the preach¬ 
ing of the gospel, with the Holy Spirit sent down 
from heaven. God’s power to save being in the 
gospel, every one saved by the power of God, 
must be saved by the gospel of His grace. But it 
saves only the believer—the one who takes it into 
his mind, and heart, by faith. There is no power 
on earth, or in heaven to save the unbeliever—the 
man who rejects its teaching of righteousness. 
There is reason as well as revelation in the saying, 
“He that believeth not shall be damned.” 

“The gospel is the power of God to save the 
believer.” Not a power, but the power, because 
“therein is the righteousness of God revealed.” 
The acceptable righteousness of God is only made 
known thereby; and he who believes the gospel, 
accepts the statements testified to by the Holy 
Spirit, as the deep things of God; and if he receives 
the spirit of that teaching he receives the spirit of 
truth—the spirit of Christ—the Holy Spirit—the 
spirit of God—the spirit of the word. 

’Tis thus he receives the spirit by faith. As the 
Son of God whom we adore, was the word made 
flesh, He was the express image of God. (Heb. 1:3.) 


80 The King and His Kingdom 

God is spirit and therefore it must be the 
spiritual image, or image of God’s spirit or the 
spirit of God. If a man then receives the spirit of 
the word, and conforms to it, he conforms in spirit 
to the image of God, and therefore to God himself. 
He conforms to the righteousness God reveals 
through the testimony of the Holy Spirit. Thus 
the Holy Spirit will, through the apostles, and 
them on whom the apostles have laid their hands, 
testify of the word, to whom all power is given, 
and who is the light to lighten every man that 
cometh into the world; and through that word 
thus preached, the eyes of the understanding are 
enlightened that they may know what is the hope 
of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of 
His inheritance in the saints. (Eph. 1: 18.) David 
says, “The commandment of the Lord is pure, en¬ 
lightening the eyes.” (Ps. 19: 8.) Thus the power 
is in the word, which is preached by the gospel, (1 
Pet. 1: 25) with the Holy Spirit sent down from 
heaven. Take another case, (John 3: 1-8.) 

Nicodemus was a Jew, and hoped through his 
fleshy birth, as the seed of Israel, to have a place 
in the Kingdom of heaven. Coming to Jesus by 
night he said to Him “We know thou art a teach- 


Exhaltation of Christ 


81 


er sent from God, for no man doeth the miracles 
thou doest, except God is with him. Jesus began 
at once to teach him, of the things nearest his 
heart, saying “No man can enter the Kingdom of 
heaven, except he be bom again.” Nicodemus 
asked, “How can these things be?” This is the 
question to be explained. Jesus answered that it 
must be a spirit-birth. “Flesh is born of flesh; but 
spirit is bom of spirit.” “God is spirit”; and the 
apostle declares Him to be the Father of our 
spirits. It is a spirit that is bom of God. When 
thus bom, we are the spiritual children of the Most 
High. Jesus continues the explanation of how we 
are spiritually bom. “The wind bloweth where it 
listeth and we hear the sound thereof but cannot 
tell whence it comes and whither it goes, so is 
everyone who is bom of the spirit.” He can tell 
no more about the wind than we. 

How strange; and how incomprehensible the 
explanation. Could the Divine Lord make no 
better showing than that? John says Jesus 
answered him, and can anyone accept that as an 
answer to the inquiry? But take the word “wind” 
out of the passage and it at once harmonizes with 
the whole book. 


82 The King and His Kingdom 

This word comes from the same Greek word 
that spirit does, and should be translated the same 
for the following reasons: 

(1.) It occurs more than 375 times in the 
Greek New Testament, and with one exception 
where it is rendered “life” it is always rendered 
spirit, or its equivalent, except in this place. 

(2.) There is no reason for changing it in this 
connection, where it occurs five times in succession, 
and evidently each time refers to the same thing. 
All should be rendered either “wind” or “spirit.” 

(3.) The fifth time should most assuredly be 
rendered spirit since volition is applied to it,which 
could not be applied to an inaminate object. The 
wind has no will of action, and it cannot be said 
that it blows where it “listeth,” or wills. 

But the spirit speaks where he sees fit, and you 
hear his voice. You know not, nor care, whence 
his coming or whither his going. He brings to you 
faith through hearing God’s word. (Ro. 10: 17.) 
’Tis thus by hearing his voice you are born of the 
spirit. This harmonizes with Peter. “Born again, 
not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible; by 
the word of God which liveth and abideth forever. 
(1 Pet. 1:24.) 


Exhaltation of Christ 


83 


And Jf mes, “Of His own will he begot us, with 
the word of truth.” (James, 1:18.) And Jesus, 
“The seed is the word of God. (Luke 8: 11.) And 
Paul, “Transformed by the renewal of the mind.” 
(Ro. 12:2.) And, “Though you have ten thousand 
instructors in Christ yet have you not many 
fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you 
through the gospel.” (1 Cor. 4: 15.) 

The begetting of the spirit is through the gos¬ 
pel—through the word which is the seed of the 
Kingdom, and preached by Paul. And David says, 
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the 
soul”; (Ps. 19: 7), or changing the life from the 
old to the new. 

Would you bring the man to repentance, the 
“eyes of whose understanding are darkened; being 
allienated from the life of God through the ignor¬ 
ance that is in him, (Eph. 4: 18,) you must 
bring the light of God’s word, which is the life of 
men, (John 1) into the eyes of his understanding, 
that he may know through the enlightenment of 
hearing the word of God—the spirit’s voice— 
“what is the hope of his calling, and what is the 
richness of the glory of his inheritance in the 
saints.” (Eph. 1: 18.) 


84 The King and His Kingdom 

While the word of God is the light; the Holy 
Spirit testifies to it in the apostles, and through 
them produces the word as lived, and spoken by 
the Son of God; both before and after His ascen¬ 
sion. “What he shall hear that shall he speak; 
and he shall show you things to come.” “He shall 
not speak of himself.” “He shall testify of me.” 

All the power in heaven, and earth, is given to 
me, said the Son, and the power and glory is 
mine. “He shall take of mine, and shall show it 
unto you,” my apostles. (John 16: 13-15.) 

All the glory, and power, and might, and 
dominion, and honor, shall be given to the highly 
exalted, coronated, and glorified Word, who 
holdeth all power in heaven and among men— 
God’s power unto salvation to all who believe. 
(Ro. 1: 16.) 

But this spirit will only reach men through 
human agencies; for it pleased God “by the fool¬ 
ishness of preaching to save them that believe.” 

There is no other way whereby God could save 
by faith, since “faith comes by hearing” and “how 
can we hear without a preachers.” (Ro. 10.) 
Therefore the Holy Spirit must act through the 
preaching of the Word, that by faith the things 


Exhaltation of Christ 


85 


preached may be received into the mind, whereby 
it may be changed from the affect of unbelief; or 
the belief of the false, to the reception of truth—re¬ 
newed by the word thus received, to a right con¬ 
science, or judgment of the right, as God shows 
the right, in His revelation of righteousness. 
(Ro. 1: 17.) This word is the story of love, as 
shown in the wonderful life, of the wonderful 
Lord; as He went about binding up the hearts 
that were broken, and comforting souls 
that were distressed, and giving sight to 
eyes that were blind, and life to those 
who were dead; while still carrying our poor, 
weak, frail, fallen nature, amid tears, and griefs, 
such as we know, till on the cross he bore our in¬ 
iquities, and sorrowingly carried our woes down 
through the dark portals to the throne of God; 
there to remain the “high-priest of our profession'” 
one that can be “touched with the feelings of our 
infirmities”; having passed through all our afflic¬ 
tion, and known all our griefs, and heart-aches; 
from whence, “He having received the Holy Spirit 
from the Father/’ has sent him to testify with, 
and through the apostles, of these wonderful 
things God has done for the lost. 


86 


The King and His Kingdom 


As we contemplate such manifestations of 
Divine love and compassion, every heart is touch¬ 
ed, and every chord of the tender soul, that has 
seen and felt the terribleness of sin in the calami¬ 
ties of life, vibrates with a new and heavenly 
thrill, and from the changed treasures of the heart, 
comes a changed life. 

The heart is thus purified by the things 
preached, through the natural channels of the 
soul, and not by some abstract operation of 
Divine prerogatives, as a reward for believing. 
’Tis thus from the heart; or when the faith reaches 
the heart—the affections and sympathies—’tis said 
we believe unto righteousness. Such an one saved, 
is the one that was lost, and not a new one, with 
new faculties made to order, and saved. 

The same prodigal who went away, has come 
back, with no change in his faculties, save that 
which is wrought by his terrible experience in sin. 
The same one who went away may return. 

Thus there is reason as well as revelation in 
the apostolic expression, “From the heart man be- 
lieveth unto righteousness”—right doing—but sal¬ 
vation from the past comes from an open confes¬ 
sion of the mouth; or a public profession of this 


Exhaltation of Christ 


87 


faith; by which we are translated from the dom¬ 
inion, or service of sin, into the Kingdom of God’s 
dear son—a full acceptance of Christ as the Son of 
the Highest—Lord and law-giver; prophet, priest 
and king—henceforth to be to us, “righteousness, 
sanctification, and redemption.” 

Thus when begotten by the seed of the King¬ 
dom—the word of God—he will as certainly be 
born of water as the law of cause and affect is 
imperative. Loving Christ he will keep his com¬ 
mandments and coming out of the water—born of 
water—he is a spiritual child. John writing to 
those who had been immersed, and risen from 
their burial in baptism says “Every one,” of you 
to whom I write, who believes that Jesus is the 
Christ has been bom of God.” (1 John 5: 1.) 

They are children of God. For growth and 
development into youth and manhood, these babes 
must be fed with sincere milk of the word, that 
they may grow in grace and knowledge, till Christ 
is formed —“formed in them” to the fulness of His 
stature. 

The word, which was anointed a prince and a 
saviour while on earth, is now crowned in the 
heavens as King of God’s Kingdom. While on earth 


88 The King and His Kingdom 

the spirit of God dwelt in Him fully—“without 
measured ’ 

God always in creation as well as redemption 
put His spirit into His word; and hence “The word 
was God.” The spirit He received from the Father 
was the spirit of power and wisdom, which went 
in His word at its first utterance, when God said 
“let there he”; and all things were established in 
wisdom, power, knowledge, truth, holiness and 
life, and all God attributes. His spirit was put into 
His word. All we can apprehend of the spirit of 
God, comes through His word. God is spirit, and 
He puts Himself into His word, and “The word 
was God.” 

When taken from the world for His exaltation 
and glorification, His disciples—pupils—were left 
without a pedagogue, or teacher. Anticipating 
this before His departure, He promised to send 
them another pedagogue. As the mission of His 
apostles was to preach; and as all false preaching 
is fatally injurious, and eternally ruinous, to both 
the preacher and the one who believes it; He 
promised this new pedagogue should guide them 
into all truth. As there was no record made of 
His own teaching, He commanded them to wait 


Exhaltation of Christ 


89 


at Jerusalem till this new power should come to 
teach them all things, and being all things to their 
remembrance, which He had taught them. With 
so much involved, it would not do to trust the 
teaching of human memory. Jesus had said “My 
words are spirit and they are life.” If spirit and 
life come to the lost, they must come from the 
word; for God put spirit and life into that word. 
Not into all words did God put spirit and life, but 
into His own words. Hence if the wrong word is 
preached it will bring death, and not life. (Gal. 
1: 8.) It was therefore necessary that when 
Jesus, the Divine Master, ascends the throne, and 
leaves his disciples without a teacher, He should 
send them another pedagogue to instruct them in 
the truth, if they are to be “sanctified by the 
truth,” they must surely have the truth; and if the 
world is to be saved by the truth, those divinely 
appointed preachers must be fully invested with 
Divine wisdom and restraint, lest they err, where 
an error would be fatal. Having ascended up on 
high,He sent the spirit He received from the Father 
to His apostles, that by it, they might speak the 
word of God on the earth. Thus the Holy Spirit 
leads men by the word of God, the same as Jesus 


90 The King and His Kingdom 

did while He was himself with His disciples. The 
change of pedagogues brought no change in the 
text, or manner of instruction; but the same word 
was still their guide. 

But as that word had ascended, and taken the 
throne, it could no more be personally heard on 
earth. His laws must be promulgated by persons 
Divinely qualified. For that purpose the Holy 
Spirit is sent to chosen embassadors and gifted 
ones, such as apostles, and prophets, evangelist, 
pastors and teachers, who were Divinely qualified 
and sent as gifts, or gifted ones, to men, for the work 
of the ministry. These gifted men were to repro¬ 
duce God’s word among men; and through these 
the Holy Spirit, by which they were gifted, declar¬ 
ed the word, as it was preached by Jesus. Since 
this spirit was to speak and not impress, it must 
lead by the word of God, to which is given all 
authority and power. This word must be preach¬ 
ed, “ for it pleased God to save men by preaching ,” 
and since that is God’s pleasure—will— if the will 
of God is done by the Holy Spirit, as by the Mas¬ 
ter, the Holy Spirit in saving men, will adopt no 
other means than preaching. Then all this talk of 
the operation of the Holy Spirit in ways, and by 


Exhaltation of Christ 


91 


means to save, men, not in harmony with the will, 
and pleasure of God, is nonsense, if not damnable 
profanity. 

Since this spirit is to lead into all truth—(a 
truth is always something said, a thing may be true, 
but it is not a truth till it is declared. God is true 
but His word is truth, the Holy Spirit is the spirit 
of truth )—it must lead by the word of God. To 
that word is given all power to save, and the 
Holy Spirit declares it through human agencies, 
as “holy men spoke as they were moved to speak, 
by the Holy Spirit.” 

The Holy Spirit only moved them to speak. It 
moved them to nothing else; and when they spoke 
it was the word of God, to be received or rejected. 
The men were not responsible for speaking; but 
God held the hearer responsible for believing and 
obeying what they said. (John 13: 20.) 

So also the things of God “were reported to 
the saints by them who preached the gospel with 
the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven.” (1 Pet. 
1 : 12 .) 

Therefore when led by the teaching of the 
apostles, we are led by the word of God, given 
through them by the Holy Spirit. There is not a 


92 


The King and His Kingdom 


case in history, sacred, or profane, where a man is 
led by the Spirit without the word; or led by the 
word of God without being led by the spirit of 
God—the Holy Spirit. The mission of the spirit 
was always to declare the word through prophets, 
and apostles. 

Since “faith comes by hearing the word of 
God,” no man can be led by faith when the spirit 
exercises any force beyond the word. If led by the 
spirit in any other way, he is led by force and not 
by faith. I cannot conceive of the spirit making 
them know, that they might speak; but he made 
them speak, that they might know. How this can 
be done is easily suggested by hypnotism. If a 
man can bring a willing and submissive subject, so 
under his control as to cause him to speak and 
act, in harmony with the will, and spirit of the 
stronger; then the Holy Spirit could communicate 
through prophets, and apostles, in perfect har¬ 
mony with natural law. 

But when the word is reproduced in the gospel, 
which is the story of the sayings and doings of 
that word, while here among men; and super¬ 
natural tongues have ceased, and supernatural 
knowledge is done away, and prophesying has 


Exhaltation of Christ 


93 


failed, and the perfect has come; (1 Cor. 13: 8- 
10) then the work of the spirit, promised by the 
Master, is fulfilled. He has testified to the word 
with power, and full demonstration. The book is 
complete and ready to seal, and nothing more to 
be added. (Rev. 22: 18.) The last apostle has 
passed away, and the miraculous work of the spirit 
is finished; and the spirit now left, is the spirit of 
the truth—the word—dwelling in the hearts and 
consciences of the saints. The spirit coming from 
the exalted word, was received from the Father; 
and whether in prophets, or apostles, he spoke the 
word of God from all, and through all, to whom 
he came, or in whom he dwelt, producing the 
word of God on the earth. Into the word, he thus 
reproduced through the apostles, and evangelists 
on whom the apostles laid hands, he put himself; 
as God put himself into the word in the beginning; 
so that “The word was God”; with all the power 
and spirit of God. In like manner, the words 
spoken by the Spirit Holy, like the word of Jesus 
Christ spoken by the same power and influence; 
(John 3: 34) “are spirit and life.” 

If the word dwells in the heart, and conscience, 
of the believer, through faith, so as to fully con- 


94 


The King and His Kingdom 


trol the life, and give him hope; he may feel assured 
that he is led and comforted by the Holy Spirit. 
And since it is the same word that was made flesh 
—the word of God—so in the possession of it, not 
in mind only; but in heart also, so that he “is 
rooted and grounded in the truth,” he needs no 
other proof that Christ dwells in him, and every 
word and act is a manifestation of Christ; and the 
spirit of Christ; far better than the wild grimaces 
and hallucinations of a Sioux Indian ghost dance. 

The church is the assembly of all such as have 
received the word of God by faith. By taking that 
word of God into their hearts and consciences they 
have Christ dwelling in them. 

These living stones being built up together, 
form a habitation of God through the spirit, and 
become the temple of the Living God. He dwelleth 
in them through the spirit of His Son; and over 
them, Jesus reigns prophet, priest and king; and 
they are led by the law of the spirit of life, in Christ 
Jesus. 

As the spirit of man is the knowing part of 
man; and the spirit of God is that which knows, 
(1 Cor. 2: 11) and “searches the deep things of 
God”; so when man’s spirit is taught by the spirit 


Exhaltation of Christ 


95 


of God, he will know the “things that are freely 
given us of God.” “Eye hath not seen, nor ear 
heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, 
the things which God has prepared for those that 
love Him.” The spirit, that searches the deep 
things of God, has declared it by the apostles and 
prophets. 

But let none say we worship the bible as a 
book. Not so! God is spirit and we worship not 
a objective, but a subjective God when we worship 
the Father. The only revelation of God is by His 
word and if we worship the true God, we must 
get a correct apprehension of His character and 
personality. None can worship the true God with 
a false conception of His attributes and character. 
By His embodied word these are exemplified to us 
in the flesh; so that God in Jesus Christ, becomes 
to us an objective God, and as such we worship 
Him in spirit, and in truth. The spirit in which we 
worship Him, is the spirit of the truth which re¬ 
veals Him. Thus without a truthful revelation of 
Him, the spirit of our worship will be the spirit of 
the devil—a false spirit. A man becomes awaken¬ 
ed and unites with the church from the hearing of 
the “First principles” of the gospel. He studies 


96 The King and His Kingdom 

the word no more; but reads the stories of cow¬ 
boys, the James bandits, and prize fights, etc., 
what spirit will he have? All know it will be the 
spirit of his teaching. The spirit of that which he 
reads. But if his mind is renewed, and his heart 
filled from a continual study of the word of God, 
he will have the spirit of Christ. 

’Tis thus we look into the face of Jesus Christ, 
and are changed into His image from glory to 
glory, or with increasing radience and beauty, 
even as by the spirit of God. (1 Cor. 3: 18.) 

The God we worship, outside of Jesus is sub¬ 
jective. Because your God and my God are called 
by the same name, is no evidence we worship the 
same God. My ideas of God, is my ideal God, and 
forms the God of my adoration. Thus the being 
we worship varies, as our understanding of Him 
varies; and as worship transforms us into the 
image of the object of our worship, our transfor¬ 
mation of life will vary, into harmony with the 
subjective God we adore; coming into His image 
in a degree commensurate with the intensity of 
our adoration. The necessity of a proper under¬ 
standing of the attributes of God by each wor¬ 
shiper is seen, in order to harmonious worship. 


Exhaltation of Christ 


97 


Not every one brought into the church is convert¬ 
ed to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
To be converted to any God, one must have dis¬ 
tinctive ideas of His attributes. 

While the institutions of the Old Dispensation 
give us some conception of Jehovah’s attributes; 
as the purity of their garments—no linsy-woolsy 
to be worn, no hybrids to be raised, etc., impress 
the idea of purity upon the mind, as many illustra¬ 
tions are given of His holiness—seperation from 
sin—veracity, power, etc., etc.; but nowhere are 
they sufficiently full, to bring us to objective wor¬ 
ship, till we view Him, in His attributes, embodied 
in the person of the “Man of Sorrows.” In Him 
as “The express image of His person” we are 
enable to witness an object of adoration. 

In Christ Jesus, as revealed by the Holy Spirit, 
through the word, is the subjective God of the 
Jewish people, transformed into a being of objec¬ 
tive worship, and looking into His face we are 
transformed into His image, from glory to glory 
as by the spirit of God. (2 Cor. 3: 18.) This is 
done by looking into the “Perfect law of liberty” 
as a doer and not a hearer only. (Ja. 1:22.) 

Thus the change is wrought step by step, from 


98 The King and His Kingdom 

“glory to glory,” through the worship of an ob¬ 
jective God in the person of His Son Jesus Christ, 
who is the “image”—image of God, we are per¬ 
mitted to worship. That image is portrayed by 
the Holy Spirit through the evangelists. Or as 
James expresses it “In the perfect law of liberty. 
(Jam. 1:23.) 

Paul in contradistinction of the Old Testament 
says “The Lord is that spirit.” (2 Cor. 3: 16.) 
This is said concerning the things that are written 
of Him; as also in (Ro. 8,) he refers to the spirit 
leading us, in contradistinction to the law of the 
flesh; as also when speaking of the fruits of the 
gospel as distinct from the law of Moses, calls it 
the fruit of the spirit. (Gal. 5: 22.) 


CHAPTER IX. 

MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

No man knoweth the Father but the Son and 
and he to whom the Son will reveal Him. (Matt. 
11:28.) 

’Tis thus the great Master declares the source 
of revelation. Not by spiritual impact, is the 
knowledge of God made known. God is in His 
attributes, will, wisdom, power, love, goodness, 
etc. To know God’s love is to know God. So also 
all His attributes, as to know His will, wisdom, 
etc. These are only learned by the revelation of 
the Son. 

If the Holy Spirit reveals Him, he must do it 
through the Son—the word. Only with that idea 
can the passage be understood; the one source of 
revelation, and only one—the word of God. 

“No man hath seen God at any time; the only 
begotten Son * * * hath declared Him.” 

(Johnl: 18.) The only knowledge we have of 
God, His will, His wisdom, His righteousness, all 

L. of C. 


99 


100 


The King and His Kingdom 


He requires of men and what He will do for man, 
come through the declarations of the Son. The 
mission of the Holy Spirit is to make these declar¬ 
ations known. He shall teach the apostles, and 
bring to their recollections the things Jesus had 
declared. 

“We know the Son of God is come and hath 
given to us understanding that we may know the 
things that are true.” (1 John 5: 20.) The under¬ 
standing of the truth comes to the fallen race, who 
were living in darkness, and death, through the 
Son of the Highest. He is the light of the world, 
and that light, is life to the world. (John 1:4.) 
“This is the record that God hath given to us 
eternal life and this life is in His Son.” (ljohn 
5: 11.) 

Can anything be more clearly expressed than 
that light, and life, and the knowledge of God—His 
will, wisdom, truth, love, and mercy, are all re¬ 
vealed through His Son? All the knowledge we 
have of God; all He has revealed of Himself to 
humanity has come through His Son. But the Son 
of God is the word of God by which all things 
were made (John 1), and therefore the knowledge 
of God comes not through spiritual impact but by 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 101 

His word. Since God is spirit—is Holy Spirit—is 
the Holy Spirit, we cannot conceive of the Holy 
Spirit in his personality adopting any means dif¬ 
fering from the Father, in making known the will 
and wisdom of God. 

God in all revelations has honored the Son, by 
making all things of Himself, known through Him. 
Can we apprehend the Holy Spirit adopting a con¬ 
trary course? And using any means different from 
testifying of the Son, or word of God? The Holy 
Spirit, therefore, like the Father, makes all things 
of God, known through words, and his words are 
the word of God. Therefore the whole revelation 
of God; His will in the duty of man; and the ac¬ 
ceptance of the man that is lost; and the manner 
of our return to God, from whom we have been 
seperated by sin; and our conversion, and scanti- 
ficatlon, must all be accomplished by the Holy 
Spirit through the word of God. 

Man in his pristine state, before his fall, was 
to be developed. It could not be expected the race 
would forever continue in the garden of animal 
delights. The experience of the ages shows that 
man cannot be developed, in idleness, and luxury. 
His spiritual growth, and moral development, 


102 


The King and His Kingdom 


must come through teaching, and he must be held 
responsible for his acceptance, or rejection of such 
teaching. No spiritual enlightenment can come to 
men in any other way, and leave them morally 
responsible. His responsibility consists in a will¬ 
ingness to be taught. Paul says sin was in the 
world before the law. That is, man did things 
morally wrong, and culpable in themselves, but 
since the law had not come they were not imputed 
sin; for sin is the transgression of law. It is often 
asked why God made man so he could sin, and be 
lost? He made the ox without moral responsibil¬ 
ity, and consequently without sin. Had He made 
man thus, he would not have been a man. 

He gave man a spiritual nature, and made 
him in the image of Himself. (Ge. 1.) It was the 
crowning work of creation. Pie was made to have 
dominion over all things else created; and with¬ 
out the powers given him, he would not be a man. 

All else He made without that power, and 
none save man has sinned. 

Had any sooner be an ass, that cannot sin, 
than be a man that can, they have reached a point 
as near that brute as possible, without the missing 
link. 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 


103 


For all the brute creation there was no develop¬ 
ment anticipated. The swallow builds her nest 
to-day just as she built it beneath the eaves of 
Noah’s Ark; and fishes return to spawning beds, 
just as they did six thousand years ago. Birds 
migrate just the same now, as then. Instinct im¬ 
pressed, is knowledge without improvement. So 
it would have been with man had knowledge been 
impressed. 

But God designed him to be taught, and hence 
the lessons which He gave him. Then as now 
development must come through teaching, and to 
that end, “they heard the voice of God, walking in 
the garden in the cool of the day.” And God called 
unto Adam and said unto him (Ge. 3: 8) God did 
not impress the right upon him, but taught it to 
him. Because God spoke to man, man speaks. No 
other reason can be given why man can speak. 
God’s communications to the race, then, were all 
in words, giving instructions in language which 
mankind understood. The violation of what God 
said, was the sin committed. 

God did not impress Noah by some fear or 
impulse that a storm was gathering; and he had 
better be prepared with some kind of a boat for 


104 The King and His Kingdom 

safety; but “The Lord said unto Noah * * * 

make thee an ark.” 

He gave explicit directions; with full descrip¬ 
tion of the work; and, “By faith Noah prepared an 
ark to the saving of his house.” “Having been 
warned of God.” (Heb. 11.) 

Had the idea been impressed it would have 
been written “By fear Noah being suspicious of 
rain prepared an ark.” It being done by faith, 
there must have been a command to do. God did 
not impress him with wisdom; but taught him the 
way, and the right. 

So also God called Abraham, and by speech 
revealed to him His will. “By faith Abraham 
obeyed and went.” 

So also, when God had a mission for Moses, 
He appeared to Him, and from the bush aflame 
He talked with him. 

To Elijah God spoke by an angel who touched 
him and said “Arise and eat.” And the word of 
the Lord came to him and said: What doest thou 
hear Elijah? * * * Go stand upon the mount. 
A great wind rent the mountain; but the Lord 
was not in the wind. An earthquake; but the 
Lord was not in the earthquake. A fire; but the 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 105 

Lord was not in the fire.” The Lord is not found, 
or known in the tumults of earth. 

But after all these there came a voice—“a still 
small voice”; but “Elijah heard it.” He wrapped 
his face in his mantle and went out. God was in 
the voice “The word was God.” It spoke to'Elijah. 
It told him what to do. When God has aught for 
man to do, He plainly speaks and tells him what 
it is, and how to do it; and gives him every de¬ 
tail. Nothing is left for impulse, or emotion to 
dictate. Man’s feelings are of the flesh, and car¬ 
nal. His judgment is taught, and by faith he obeys, 
or in unbelief he disobeys. 

So in all God’s revelations by the prophets,up¬ 
on whom the spirit came, causing them to speak as 
they were moved, made, forced to speak by the 
Holy Spirit. We read “The word of the Lord came 
to Isaiah the Son of Amos.” (See Book of Isaiah 
passim.) “And the word of the Lord came to 
Jeremiah.” (See Book of Jer passim.) The same 
is said of Ezekiel, and all the prophets. All to 
whom the Lord gave His spirit, spoke the word of 
the Lord. The light God’s people received was 
from His word. No other way can instruction be 
imparted. 


106 The King and His Kingdom 

When they mocked the messengers of God, and 
dispised His words, and misused His prophets, His 
wrath arose against them till there was no remedy. 
(2 Chron. 36: 16.) With all, the word of the Lord 
was their guide; and disobedience was sin. 

Jesus said “As long as I am in the world I 
am of the world.” (John 9: 5.) “The light 
was the life of men.” That light was the word 
made flesh. The light was not in the flesh but in 
the word. The flesh was human and could be 
strengthened by an angel; but the word was 
Divine. He having ascended up on high, the light 
has not departed. “Say not in thine heart; who 
shall ascend into heaven? That is to bring Christ 
down from above.” * * * * “The word is nigh 
thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart; that is the 
word of faith which we preach. ” (Ro. 10.) The 
personal ministry of Jesus gives place to the 
ministry of the word proclaimed by the Holy 
Spirit, through the apostles. The personal work 
of a personal Saviour is ended, and we are now 
under the ministry of the word, in the hands of 
the apostles to be written upon the tablets of the 
heart, by the preaching of the gospel, with the Holy 
Spirit sent down from heaven. 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 107 

When about to leave His disciples Jesus said 
“I am going away, but I will not leave you com¬ 
fortless; I will send you another pedagogue— 
(teacher)—who shall be with you, for he shall be 
in you. 

This paraclete was to be in them as a person¬ 
ality; or as an influence. To make him a mere in¬ 
fluence would be to degrade the Holy Spirit. He 
was not sent to influence the prophets; but to 
possess them. So the Holy Spirit was to possess 
the appostles to whom it was given. It took the 
place of their own spirit, and caused them to speak 
his thoughts in the words chosen for them. These 
words of the Holy Spirit are the word of God. As 
a person, He dwelt in the apostles; and as a person, 
he took possession of them, and spoke through 
them. In inspiration, the man of God is not led by 
the influence of the spirit upon the disposition; but 
when the spirit comes upon him, he speaks; and he 
is guided by what is said. It was not the im¬ 
pressed influence of the spirit that caused Phillip 
to draw near the chariot of the Eunuch; (Acts 
8:) but the spirit said, “Go join thyself to this 
chariot.” It was not an influence of the spirit 
that led Paul into Mascedonia; but a vision which 


108 The King and His Kingdom 

said come over into Mascedonia and help us. An 
impressed influence would destroy man’s respons¬ 
ibility, if the influence was sufficiently strong to 
control him. If not sufficiently strong, the fault 
would be with God. A prophet was not respons¬ 
ible for what he said. When the Holy Spirit 
spoke by the apostles, it was him that spoke, and 
not them. They were responsible for the reception 
or rejection of what he spoke by them, the same as 
any other hearer. As a personality, the Holy 
Spirit in them, spoke by them, the same as their 
own spirit was wont to speak by them; and the 
words they uttered were the words of the Spirit— 
the word of God—and they must walk in the light 
thereof the same as all other hearers of the word. 
It was always the word of the Lord that was to 
be obeyed—followed as a light to give comfort by 
promises, and guidance by direction; and not some 
influence impressed upon the mind. 

None can tell whether an impression is from 
some man, the flesh, the devil, or of God; but when 
the word is spoken, we at once ask of its author; 
and look into his credentials to know whether to 
give credence. Therefore when led by the word 
we are led by faith; but when led by impulse, or an 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 109 

impressed power, it is by force; if the impressions 
are irresistable; or by the flesh if they are enjoy¬ 
able. 

None can be led by faith, unless directed by 
words; and then he must have confidence in the 
one who speaks. If he has confidence in the words 
because they meet his approbation; and not in the 
speaker; then he is led by philosophy instead of 
faith, after the manner of Cain. He is a Cainite. 
Confidence in the speaker, give faith in his words. 

A few examples illustrative of the foregoing 
will be sufficient. The promise of a son made to 
Zacharias was by a messenger, sent for that pur¬ 
pose, as he ministered at the altar. With him 
Zacharias talked. 

The announcement to Mary was also by a 
messenger chosen of God to make the disclosure to 
the woman. But when Mary entered the house of 
Elizabeth the Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth 
and she spoke. That is the universal effect of the 
Holy Spirit. It is not an indication of piety or 
conversion. 

The Holv Spirit came upon Caiaphas, the 
abandoned Jewish High-Priest with murder in his 
heart, and caused him to prophesy. There is noth- 


110 The King and His Kingdom 

ing purifying in the personal impress of the Holy 
Spirit. His gift to man is to bring faith to those 
who possess him not, by the testimony of those 
who possess him. The “heart is purified by faith;” 
and faith comes by hearing; and hearing by the 
word of God;” and the word of God by the Holy 
Spirit, who bears testimony thereto. As we have 
shown, and Jesus declares, the Holy Spirit is the 
spirit of truth, and the word of God is the truth; 
therefore the Holy Spirit is the spirit of the word. 

The Holy Spirit in person always goes to the 
preacher, or prophet, who speaks, and not to the 
one who hears. The hearer receives the spirit of 
the word—the truth—from the one who preaches 
it and not from the Lord direct. 

At the naming of John, Zacharias was “filled 
with the Holy Spirit and prophesied saying” &c. 
This is always its affect upon him who possesses it. 
(Luke 1: 67.) He speaks for the enlightenment of 
those who hear as much as for himself; and he 
must learn from the oracle, himself has declared. 

So Simeon was led by the Spirit into the 
temple and prophesied of the wonders of the child 
Jesus, and the sword that should pierce the 
mothers heart. Many examples could we give in 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 111 

defense of the position taken; but not one can be 
found of the guiding, and comfort, of the spirit 
without the word. 

In the style of Hebrew poetry in the Old Test¬ 
ament scriptures we have Parallelisms for two 
purposes, (1) to explain one expression with an¬ 
other and, (2) for emphasis of the thought ex¬ 
pressed. The thoughts of the writer or speaker is 
given in couplets, or triplets, in parallels of expres¬ 
sion, repeating the statement in different words; 
increasing the force of the expression, as well as 
the clearness, without changing the thought. 

A few examples will profit much in our under¬ 
standing of them: 

“Hear my cry: 

0 Lord! attend unto my prayer.” 

“For Thou hast been for me a shelter— 

A strong tower from the enemy.” 

“Thou wilt prolong the King’s life; 

His years, to many generations.” 

Ps. 61: 

We could give many from David; and also 
from Lameah, and Moses, and Miriam, and all the 
Hebrew poets. Read the prophecy of Balaam be¬ 
fore Balak, when he attempted to curse Israel. 


112 The King and His Kingdom 

But our purpose will be answered by a few from 
Solomon: 

“Wisdom crieth without: 

She uttereth her voice in the streets; 

She crieth in the chief places of concourse; 

In the opening of gates; (place of gathering.) 
In the city she uttereth her words.” 

Again: 

“How long ye simple ones will ye love sim¬ 
plicity; 

And scorners delight in their scorning; 

And fools hate knowledge. 

These repetitions not only give emphasis, but 
also explanation of the meaning; as each carries 
the same thought. 

Again: 

“Behold I have called, and ye refused; 

I have stretched out my hand, and no man re¬ 
garded. 

Ye have set at naught all my counsels; 

And would none of my reproof. 

I also will laugh at your calamity; 

I will mock when your fear cometh: 

When fear cometh as desolation; 


113 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 

And destruction cometh as a whirlwind; 

Then shall you call upon me; 

But I will not answer. 

Ye shall seek me early; 

But I will not be found of you. 

The above illustrates the point in view; but 
we find another that make plain the subject before 
us. 

“Behold I will pour out my spirit unto you; 

I will make known my words unto you.” 

Could anything be more conclusive than, “to 
pour out His spirit,” is to “make known His 
words?” If he declares that to love simplicity, de¬ 
light in scorning, and hates knowledge, are the 
same; and the simple, scomers, and fools, represent 
the same class; then according to this passage, to 
“Pour out His spirit” and “Make known His 
words” are the same thing. Where His spirit goes 
His word goes also, and there shall it be heard. 
With me no statement could be plainer, and the 
controversy is ended; but to others it may not 
seem so positive, and in the light of this passage 
we will introduce another. 

Peter on the day of Pentecost, standing with 
the eleven , and speaking as the Holy Spirit ga.ve 


114 The King and His Kingdom 

utterance, quoting from the prophets said “This is 
that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” “I 
shall come to pass in the last days”—(the last 
days of that era, or people)—“I will pour out my 
spirit”—(epi, in presence of, to, unto, for sake 
of)—“all flesh.” (Acts 2.) 

This was the Lord’s work and vas to be per¬ 
formed in fulfillment of prophesy. He did not there 
and then pour it upon all flesh; but only upon the 
eleven who stood up and spoke. 

There is no proof that more than the eleven 
disciples were together there; that more than the 
eleven received the Holy Spirit from Christ. 

In the Greek, there is no division into chapters 
and verses. In the first chapter we read, that at 
the time of the selection of Matthias to the apos- 
tleship, there were about one hundred and twenty 
present, and the selection was made, and Matthias 
was numbered with the eleven apostles. This ends 
the record of that transaction with the full com¬ 
pliment in the Apostolic College. A new para¬ 
graph begins. 

Another scene is recited. The day of Pentecost 
is fully come. The Apostolic College is complete, 
and they were all with one mind in the same place. 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 


115 


Neither Thomas, nor Bartholomew, nor Thaddeus, 
as on some occasions were absent. All were pres¬ 
ent and of one mind , when there suddenly came a 
sound from heaven, and it filled the house where 
they were. And they all began to speak. And 
“Peter stood up with the eleven and said.” 

But for the declaration that on a previous 
occasion, there were 120 present, none would get 
the impression that more than the eleven, especially 
named were referred to on this, another occasion. 

They were especially called the eleven apostles. 
Upon these the Holy Spirit descended. It was the 
beginning of their work, under the commission of 
the Master, to preach the gospel to every creature; 
from and through the apostles to whom the Holy 
Spirit was promised, and had now personally 
come. It was to be poured to all flesh, by making 
known the word of the Lord, as Solomon had 
said. Jesus said “My words are spirit” and when 
they go to every creature, the spirit is poured unto 
all flesh. God gave the spirit personally to the 
apostles on that da}', and it caused them to speak 
His word, and from them the word was made 
known to “all flesh,” “beginning at Jerusalem.” 
The affect, of the personal gift of the Holy Spirit 


116 


The King and His Kingdom 


to the apostles, was prophesy, by which God 
“makes known His words” to every creature. 

Since it has so long been understood that there 
were 120 upon whom the Holy Spirit was poured 
on Pentecost, it may to some seem sacrilege to 
thus step upon hallowed ground, I will therefore, 
call attention to the first Chapter of Acts. Inverse 
2nd Luke speaks of the Lord being “taken up, 
after He by the Holy Spirit had given command¬ 
ments to the apostles whom He had chosen.” “To 
whom He showed himself alive after His passion; 
being seen of them forty days, and speaking to 
them of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” 
When He had finished speaking to them , while 
they beheld, He was taken up and a cloud received 
Him out of their sight. And while they gazed up¬ 
ward, two men stood by in white apparel, and 
spoke to them . Then from the Mount of Olives 
they returned to Jerusalem, and went into an 
upper room, and the eleven abode there. These are 
all named as the eleven, who continued with one 
mind in prayer; with the relations of Jesus, and the 
devout women. It was during those days, be¬ 
tween the ascension of Jesus and the day of Pente¬ 
cost, that Peter stood in the midst of the disciples, 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 117 

and suggested an addition to the bishopric, and 
from the number present, two were selected as 
qualified for the office, and they cast lots between 
the two, and the “Lot fell upon Matthias and he 
was numbered with the eleven apostles.’’ All was 
spoken of the eleven apostles, who, we are told, 
abode in that upper room, and were together 
waiting for the promise of the Father of which 
they had heard of Jesus. 

And continuing thus together with one accord, 
till the day of Pentecost was fully come, when the 
Holy Spirit, with a sound attracting attention, 
descended and filled the room, and a lambent 
flame, like a divided tongue, sat upon each of them, 
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and 
began to speak in other languages as the spirit 
gave them utterance. All this must have reference 
only to the eleven. 

It was noised abroad, and the people came to¬ 
gether in astonishment, to hear them speak in their 
own tongues, the wonderful works of God. Peter 
stood up with the eleven , and refuted the charge 
of drunkenness; and declared it the fulfillment of 
the prophecy of Joel which he quotes. “And from 
(apo) me will I pour my spirit unto (epi to, unto. 


118 The King and His Kingdom 

upon) my servants, and handmaids, and they shall 
prophesy”; teach, or explain in proper words, the 
things of God. The mission of the spirit of God 
personally was to His own—“His servants and 
handmaids” to cause them to speak to those not 
His servants, that those who hear may be dis- 
cipled through their teaching, to fulfill the commis¬ 
sion of the Lord. (Matt. 29: 29.) 

Signs also in heaven, and in earth, shall follow 
for the conviction of the world of sin, righteous¬ 
ness, and judgment to come, which shall embody 
the teaching. 

Those receiving the testimony of the spirit, 
shall take up the same proclamation, till it is car¬ 
ried to all flesh—to every creature. Thus His spirit 
is poured unto all flesh, by making known God’s 
word to every creature, through the gospel (1 Pet. 
1: 25) which was preach, with the Holy Spirit 
sent down from heaven. (1 Pet. 1: 12.) 

Whoever receives the Holy Spirit in any man¬ 
ner , either as a personality, as did the apostles; 
or by faith from hearing the word, will go forth 
to teach, explain or proclaim it. 

Paul says “Now we have received not the 
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 


119 


that we might know the things that are freely 
given to ns of God. Which things we speak, not in 
words which man’s wisdom teaches; bnt which 
the Holy Spirit teaches.” (1 Cor. 2: 12:) The 
effect of the Holy Spirit is to know the things of 
God. Then to know the things of God is to have 
the Holy Spirit. To receive the things of God is to 
receive the Holy Spirit. Nothing could be more in 
harmony with logic than this statement. If this 
knowledge of the things of God comes direct to 
Paul by Divine impressment, it is a revelation of 
the Holy Spirit to the apostle. If Paul speaks 
them to me in words which the Holy Spirit teaches, 
if is a revelation of the same spirit to me through 
Paul. And he who possesses this knowledge 
possesses the same spirit as Paul. Since the Holy 
Spirit has his dwelling place, not in heaven, but in 
the saints—in the church—God’s temple; if he 
reaches me it must be from the church through the 
instruction which goes out from the saints. 

Was he ever received in any other way since 
the days of the apostles? If the mission of the Holy 
Spirit is “that we may know the things that are 
given us of God;” then he who has the Holy Spirit 
knows all these things. Paul says he learned 


120 The King and His Kingdom 

nothing from Peter, and those of note at Jerusalem, 
though he abode with them fifteen days. (Gal. 1.) 
The communications of the same spirit are to all, 
the same. If the Holy Spirit is vouchsafed from 
heaven to each in the church, there would be no 
need of teachers, and no division among God’s peo¬ 
ple. All would see alike for all would understand 
the same things. 

It does not teach the Catholic one thing and 
say he is right; the Protestant another and say he 
is right; the Presbyterian, Methodist Mormon, 
Baptist et al, declaring each to be right. Wherever 
he personally dwelt he taught all the same thing; 
but those who understand and misunderstand his 
teaching will vary, and the spirit they get will 
be the spirit of what they are taught. All the 
“isms” in Christendom cannot come from the same 
spirit. There can be but one light, and perhaps 
none. All that are wrong are deceptions, and 
of course false; and if false are of the devil. 

But Paul says the spirit was given to him that 
he might know. And the things thus revealed to 
him, he spoke in words which the Holy Spirit com¬ 
municated; that those in the church to whom he 
wrote might have his knowledge. (1 Cor. 2 pas 


121 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 

sim.) Then if the church did not have Paul’s 
knowledge, they did not have the Holy Spirit. 

But if they received the knowledge of Paul, they 
received the same spirit of truth which Paul had; 
and like Paul and Peter were of the same mind, 
and of the same judgment. (1 Cor. 1:10.) 

The mind of Christ was in them; the spirit of 
truth—the Holy Spirit abode in them. This spirit 
was not received direct from heaven, for he had 
been sent direct to the apostles, and he was to “re¬ 
main in them;” so that if he goes to the world, he 
must go direct from them. 

The Holy Spirit is not many; but one spirit. 
Not a personality for each; one to be sent to Paul, 
and one to Peter, and to each of the apostles, and 
to each Christian, in the church; for then he would 
be many, with a large number left in heaven for 
those who shall come after; to be sent when called 
for. The thought is preposterous. And yet in 
harmony with that of his separate personality, 
dwelling in me as a separate entity from my 
spirit. If the Holy Spirit is the spirit of wisdom, 
the spirit of knowledge, and of understanding (not 
misunderstanding,) sent to the apostles in whom 
he was to abide, (not come and go,) he would then 


122 The King and His Kingdom 

through them be “poured out” to all nations, and 
those who received him from them, would be of the 
same mind, and of the same judgment. There can 
be no discord when all have the same spirit. 

Paul most emphatically declares there is “one 
spirit.” All those possessing that one spirit 
would have the same understanding; for the un¬ 
derstanding of the truth would be the spirit of 
truth. Those misunderstanding would be de¬ 
ceived. If deceived the devil has deceived them, 
and the spirit which leads them, is the spirit of 
the devil—an un-holy spirit. 

In seeking and praying for union among Chris¬ 
tians, we would not seek to unite the children of 
God with the children of the devil. 

“What concord hath Christ with belial? or 
what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” 
(11 Cor. 6:) A kingdom divided against itself is 
brought to desolation.” He that believeth takes 
the word of God into the inner man—the heart— 
the understanding by faith, and is led by the 
spirit of truth, thus received; while the infidel 
takes in something else, and is led by the spirit of 
what he believes, whether Mormonism or Bood- 
ism or some other ism. Organic union, without 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 123 

harmony of faith is organic discord. Jesus did not 
pray for such a union; but for the union of those 
whose faith is from apostolic teaching.—“Who be¬ 
lieve on me through their words.” Such receive 
Christ in the truth; the word of God into the con¬ 
science—the heart—the full understanding. 

Those deceived by any heresy must be cut off 
from believers. For God’s people to unite with 
heresy; understanding with m/s-understanding; 
truth with error; faith with deception is contrary 
to the entire economy of heaven. Those now ad¬ 
vocating it have crude conception of the plea for 
union made by Campbell and his associates; or 
that, prayed for; by Christ, and plead for, by the 
apostles and early Christians. Their hope for 
union was in the conversion of men from their un¬ 
belief of the truth, to “the faith delivered to the 
saints. ’ ’ None, who believe can doubt but the prayer 
of Jesus was fulfilled, and “all” who believe on 
Him through the words of the apostles are one; 
and always have been. Jesus says the Father 
heard Him always. Those who believe on Him 
through the words of the apostles are always 
one. Those who believe through the words of 
others may not be a unity with them. They 


124 


The King and His Kingdom 


should not be. What agreement hath Christ with 
belial; or he that believeth with an infidel; or the 
temple of God with idols. Wherefore He saith 
“Come out from among them and be separated 
saith the Lord. Not try to unite with them by 
preaching unity of churches. What agreement 
hath light with darkness—understanding with 
misunderstanding ? 

For this purpose the Holy Spirit was sent to 
declare on earth the things he had heard in heaven 
—the word of God. To receive him was to receive 
his testimony of Christ, the exalted word—to re¬ 
ceive the truth, and take in the spirit thereof—to 
receive Christ Jesus as wisdom, sanctification, and 
redemption. 

All those who receive that testimony in the 
truth proclaimed, are begotten by the Spirit of 
God to a new spiritual life in Christ Jesus, and will 
as certainly be born of water into that life, as 
they are begotten by the spirit through the word 
of truth, (James 1:18) which is the seed of the 
Kingdom. 

The conception of the Spirit of God as a divine 
personality dwelling in me, with my spirit and 
the spirit of the devil each a personality also in me, 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 


125 


and all contending for the mastery, and each 
struggling against the other for supremacy, and 
the Holy Spirit unable to subdue the unholy 
spirits, shows impotency, or indisposition on the 
part of the Divine Spirit. Besides it destroys 
man’s responsibility, and makes him a mere animal 
with instincts. There is logic in the saying, that 
if God has made us so we can’t help ourselves 
without His help, and then fails to furnish the 
needed assistance, He alone is responsible for our 
failure. But if the Holy Spirit comes to us with 
the instruction of heaven through the word of God, 
spoken in our language, so as to be understood by 
all; falling “line upon line,” “here a little and 
there a little” as man can receive it; “like the rain 
and the snow from heaven” upon the parched 
earth, ’till our hearts are “sprinkled from an evil 
conscience”—or misunderstanding, into the sun¬ 
shine of God’s light, from glory to glory, ’till by 
education our spirits are illuminated into heavenly 
thoughts ard Divine wisdom, giving us new hopes 
through higher conceptions of human evils and 
God’s designs, and his mercy, through that grace 
which teaches us that denying ungodliness and 
wordlv lust, we should live godly, soberly, and 


126 The King and His Kingdom 

righteously; (Titus 2: 11) and our spirit thus 
widened, and brightened with heavenly effulgence 
is filled with Divine wisdom and understanding 
and subdues with its restraints, the flesh with its 
emotions, lusts, passions, pride, avarice, anger, 
etc., with its works of adultery, fornication, un¬ 
cleanliness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, 
hatred, variance, strife, seditious heresies, envyings, 
murders, drunkenness, revelings and such like, 
against which it was, and by which it is, often 
overcome in the struggle, so that we cannot do 
the things we would; and the conflict between our 
spirit, cultured by our heavenly teaching, and our 
fleshly impulses, goes on ’till we bring forth the 
spiritual fruitage of love, joy, peace, long-suffer¬ 
ing, gentleness, faith, meekness, goodness, temper¬ 
ance, etc. The conflict is thus won, and the eagle 
of victory perches over spiritual culture, and the 
flesh is held in restraint; as it could not be done 
under the law of the flesh, with its penalties. 
Carefully read Romans seventh, and eighth chap¬ 
ters, and Gallations fifth, letting the word spirit 
refer to our own minds, cultured by instruction of 
the Divine Spirit, through the grace of God—the 
gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 127 

The affect on all who receive the Spirit is the 
same, causing them to speak the word of God. 
“He whom God hath sent speaks the word 
of God; for God giveth the spirit to him without 
measure.” (John 3: 34.) A man may preach with¬ 
out preaching the word of God, or knowing it; and 
whoever cannot preach the “word of God”; has 
not received the spirit of God; and the spirit he im¬ 
parts through his teaching will not be the spirit of 
Christ; and while he is leading others astrhy, he 
will himself be accursed. (Gal. 1: 8.) 

Paul does not say “Woe be unto me if I do not 
preach” something; but “woe be unto me if I 
preach not the gospel.” 

A man possesses the spirit of God, only so far 
as he is competent to preach the word. If he is 
competent to preach Socrates or Ingersol and is 
willing so to do, he has received the spirit of So¬ 
crates, or of Ingersol. 

So he who has by faith received the word into 
his mind and heart—into his inner man—so that 
he can live and preach it, is “led by the spirit”; and 
“minds the things of the spirit”—he has the spirit 
of God, and of Christ within him, and will bear 
the fruit of the spirit. 


128 The King and His Kingdom 

So also if he takes the Koran into his inner 
self, by believing it, and giving his heart to it, he 
will have the spirit of Mohammed. Or, if by faith 
in its teaching, he receives the “Book of Mormon,” 
he will have the spirit of Joe Smith as manifested 
in the teaching. Add to that the additional teach¬ 
ing of Brigham Young and you will at once be¬ 
hold a discord between the spirit of the Later Day 
Saints, and the Brighamites. And so of all others. 

Who does not know that the spirit of the M. 
E. Church has changed as much in the last seven 
decades, as the style of their preaching? Preach 
what you will, and the real converts, will all have 
the spirit of what you preach. So the spirit of the 
word—“the spirit of truth,” dwells in the saints of 
the living God; and is received by faith from hear¬ 
ing the word; and those are built up a temple—a 
spiritual house, where God dwells by His spirit. 
Over it Christ Jesus reigns, God blessed forever. 
His subjects are willing subjects; and His spirit 
permeates each member; and therefore the whole 
body, and the reign of heaven is within them. 

Before closing the Chapter, I will, from the 
many passages on the subject, select one quotation 
which must certainly end the controversy with all 


Mission of the Holy Spirit 129 

believers. It is from the lips of the Divine Master 
himself, and is the smmary of all I have written. 

Speaking to His disciples, with whom he had 
journeyed more than three years, talking with them 
all the way, for their development in the Divine 
knowledge—the knowledge of God and His King¬ 
dom; and sometimes so worried with their stupid¬ 
ity that He was led to say “How long must I be 
with you? How long must I suffer you?” So 
great had been their perversness by their former 
teaching; He says, (John 15: 3) “Now ye are clean 
through the word which I have spoken unto y ou.” 

This confirms all I have written. The cleansing 
power is in the word spoken. 

If the Holy Spirit works in harmony with the 
Master who sent him, who is now crowned King 
of all kings, and Lord of all lords; to whom the 
Father has given the kingdom; he too will cleanse 
through the word he speaks; that men may be led 
by faith, and not by force. No man can be led by 
faith but the man who hears the word, and obeys 
it. All the nonsense about being pulled into the 
right, and pushed into the way, by some force 
above the action of the word preached, vanishes 
at once with the admission of this passage, 


130 The King and His Kingdom 

Thus the word of God exalted to the throne, 
takes the precedence. 

Any man receiving the word into his mind— 
his inner being—his spirit or conscience, by believ¬ 
ing it; has taken into his conscience, the truth of 
God, the wisdom of God, the knowledge of God, 
the love of God, the light of God, the life of God— 
all that has been revealed of God—the spirit of 
God—the spirit of truth. If the faith in things pure, 
and true, and lovely, has reached his affections and 
purified his heart—if God has purified the heart by 
faith, (Acts 15) they have gone forth in his life, 
and he walks by faith, and his whole being, body, 
soul, and spirit, is transformed by that renewing 
of his mind; and the wisdom of God, and the love 
of Christ, and the communion of the spirit oftruth, 
—the Holy Spirit, is within Him; and the law of 
the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made him from 
the law of sin and death which is in his members— 
his emotions and feelings which are fleshly; and he 
is led by the spirit, and walks by the spirit, and 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all dwell within him. 
Can any one ask for more? But neither Father, 
Son, nor Holy Spirit, is within; nor leads the man 
that has not heard and believed the word. 


Mission of the Holy Spipit 


131 


No substitute for the word will make up the 
deficiency. It must be the word , and nothing else. 
Nothing less nor more. 

The law of the Lord is perfect, 

Converting the soul; 

The testimony of the Lord is sure, 

Making wise the simple; 

The statutes of the Lord are right. 

Rejoicing the heart; 

The commandments of the Lord are pure, 
Enlightening the eyes; 

The fear of the Lord is clean, 

Enduring forever; 

The judgments of the Lord are true, 

And righteous all together; 

More to be desired are they than gold, 

Yea than much fine gold; 

Sweeter also than the honey, 

And the honey comb; 

Moreover by thou is thy servant warned. 

And in keeping of them, there is great reward. 

Ps. XIX 7-11. 


CHAPTER X. 

SUMMARY. 

Of what I have said this is the sum. We have 
one God and Father of All, who is above all, and 
from whom are all things—the embodiment of 
wisdom, knowledge, power, justice, purity, love, 
truth and all the attributes found in all worlds. 
And he is from everlasting to everlasting. He is 
the father of the spirits of the spiritual; and the 
God of all providence and grace; and to him all 
prayers ascend, and from Him all blessings flow. 
“From him cometh every good and perfect gift,” 
and to Him we look for every mercy, and to him 
alone we offer our thanksgiving and praise; and 
in Him we believe and trust; and all His precepts, 
coming through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, 
are believed and obeyed by His saints. 

We have one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the 
Father, through whom are sent out the attributes 
of Jehovah into the world; who, possessing all the 
attributss of the Father who is Spirit, he is the 


132 


Summary 


133 


expressed image of His personality, as the em¬ 
bodiment of the Word by which He made all 
things, and into which, from the beginning, he put 
His wisdom, power, will, love and knowledge, so 
that as the Word, he represents the fulness of God. 
And as God is Spirit, His attributes are all spirit¬ 
ual, and when He puts His attributes into His 
word, He puts himself into the word, and “The 
Word was God.” The wisdom, and power, and 
life, and light, and knowledge et al, were as eternal 
as God himself. But the utterance of the truth had 
a beginning, when “God said,”&c., and proceeding 
out of God, they were born of God—came forth 
from the Father. And since all things were made 
by the word, He was first born before any creation. 

That word by which all things were made, 
became the law to all things, and to man; and by 
man was antagonized under the threatenings of 
death; and man must die, or the word of God must 
suffer. For His great love wherewith He loved us 
when we were dead in trespasses and sins, as the 
only alternative, God embodied His word in the 
flesh as the only begotten of the Father—(all else 
was created)—that he might destroy the work¬ 
ings of the law bv which we were condemned, an 


134 The King and His Kingdom 

take it out of the way by nailing it to the cross; 
that by the death of the law, God might be just in 
justifying the believing ungodly, who had trans¬ 
gressed His word in the law. 

This word humbled in death through the flesh, 
having risen from the tomb, and having burst the 
bars of death and dethroned the monster by whom 
we were held, has ascended to the throne, and is 
crowned King of His kingdom. God having so 
highly exalted Him and given to Him majesty, and 
power, and dominion, and glory; and a name that 
is above every name; while taking His throne in 
the skies he becomes the autocrat of His king¬ 
dom. 

His personal work on the earth being ended, 
and having provided another pedagogue to take 
His place as teacher of men, He sends the Holy 
Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen, 
through whom He is to be preached as the word of 
God. Wherever the word is preached Christ is 
preached, and whoever receives the word by faith 
into the inner man—into his thoughts and heart, 
receives Christ; and whoever disbelieves the word 
rejects Christ. You cannot separate the word 
from Christ, nor Christ from the word. 


Summary 


135 


To believe the truth takes it into the inner 
man—into the mind; the spirituality; and it forms 
our mind, and our thoughts are controlled and 
governed thereby. It forms our spirit, and if led by 
faith we are led by the truth which faith takes in. 

Every man believes something. If he takes 
truth into the mind by believing it, the scriptures 
call it faith; but if he takes in error, and the mind 
is darkened by it, truth is shut out, and it is called 
unbelief. 

If we understand the truth thus received, we 
have the spirit of truth. If we misunderstand we 
are deceived. 

If deceived, we are deceived by the devil—the 
old adversary of truth—and we have the spirit— 
the understanding of the devil; and of course are 
led by the devil. . 

Paul says “Adam was not deceived.” He will¬ 
ingly transgressed; but the woman was deceived 
and was (equally) in the transgression.” 

All deception is of the devil, and whoever mis¬ 
understands the word has the spirit of the devil, 
and is led by the devil. If sanctified by the truth 
he can never be sanctified by error. “The mind of 
his understanding is darkened, being allienated 


136 The King and His Kingdom 

from the life of God by the ignorance that is in 
him.” (Eph. 4: 4.) No man can be led by the spirit 
of the truth, unless he understands the truth. Any 
misunderstanding is death. Christ says “I am the 
truth.” You cannot take Christ into the heart 
unless you have believed the truth. You cannot 
possess the spirit of Christ, unless you understand 
the truth. 

Jesus declares (John 14: 16-17 and 26) that 
the Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth. 

The spirit of truth, (Holy Spirit) was Divinely 
sent to the apostles, and from them conferred to 
others through laying on of hands, for the purpose 
of producing truth in the world. They spoke the 
truth by the spirit of truth which was in them. 
Paul says “they received the spirit of God, that 
they might know the things freely given of God, 
which things they spoke to spiritually inclined 
ones, in the language of the spirit.” (1 Cor. 
2: 12-13.) 

That which the spirit spoke through them was 
the truth, which came from the spirit of truth by 
its personal possession by the apostles. The per¬ 
sonal work of the Holy Spirit was to produce the 
truth through those who possessed the spirit. 


Summary 


137 


They spoke as they were made to speak by the 
spirit that was in them. This spirit came from the 
enthroned word, who received it of the Father and 
sent it unto them. 

Tongues, and prophecies, and all miracles, hav¬ 
ing ceased (1 Cor. 13) with the perfection of the 
revelation of God—the truth being established in 
the world, and written in a book, so that judgment 
is passed already upon the one that shall take 
from, or add thereto; (Rev. 22: 18, the spirit of 
truth, came from the truth, and is the knowledge, 
or understanding of the truth. No man can have 
the spirit of truth except he understands the truth. 
There is but one spirit as Paul says, (Eph. 4: 4 and 
1 Cor. 12: 4 and 11) so there can be but one un¬ 
derstanding of the truth. All else is misunder¬ 
standing, and as I have shown is the spirit of the 
devil. 

How much that is devilish God will permit I 
know not; but John advises us to try the spirits, 
since many false spirits have gone out into the 
world; and these false spirits are because of false 
prophets. (1 John 4:1.) Nothing could be plainer. 
A false prophet speaks by a false spirit, and his 
words beget a false spirit in the hearer that be¬ 
lieves his teaching. 


138 


The King and His Kingdom 


This spirit of truth—Holy Spirit—is in the 
Church of God—His temple. 

He dwells in the saints, walks in them, abides— 
tarrys with them. From them, he goes out to the 
world; as where the spirit is given they will speak 
the word of God. (John 3: 34.) Whoever under¬ 
stands the truth, will speak the word of God. Not 
something else. Knowing the truth he will be able 
to declare it; and the spirit it begets in the hearer 
will not be the spirit of Mormonism or any other 
ism; but it will be the spirit of truth, the spirit of 
Christ—the Holy Spirit, and it will transform the 
man through the renewal of the mind (Ro. 12:1-3) 
and not by a physical affect upon his emotions and 
passions. 


PART II. 


CHAPTER XI. 

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 

Since many have taken in hand to set forth in 
order the things concerning the kingdom; I, hav¬ 
ing given the subject much study, for more than 
forty years; with an experience and observation 
surpassing many of my contemporaries in the 
ministry; and having witnessed the sad workings of 
the unscriptural methods, and makeshifts, that 
have been introduced; and the defects in church 
organization, and government, from unscriptural 
teaching and practice; have taken it upon myself 
to study the Divine plan, to ascertain, if possible, 
the system of government God has established in 
the heavens, and set forth in the Sacred Oracles, 
for our guidance on earth. 

THE KINGDOM. 

In prophecy this is always spoken of in 
language the most unique; conveying one, and 
only one meaning, that of a kingdom—an ab¬ 
solute monarchy. There is no hint to any limit to 


139 



140 The King and His Kingdom 

the authority, or constitutional hinderance to the 
supreme will of the King. 

Every reference to him, contemplates Him as 
the autocrat of the kingdom; and every illustra¬ 
tion sets the kingdom forth as an absolute 
monarchy, such as was contemplated in ancient 
oriental history; and makes his dominion parallel 
with the most absolute autocrat of ancient re¬ 
nown. 

The prophet Daniel often speaks of the coming 
kingdom, comparing it to the then existing king¬ 
doms of men. 

God in the Old Testament is represented as 
governing with absolute power, appointing kings, 
setting up thrones, and dominions, as the God of 
Sabaoths; (armies) placing in power whomsoever 
he willed. (Dan. 6: 3-34.) 

Among the nations He appointed His own 
executives in authority, and when they failed to 
do His will, He cast them down and enthroned 
others. 

A careful survey of the Old Testament shows 
that God giveth the kingdoms of this world to 
men of his own election, and holds them personally 
responsible for the fulfillment of His designs. Dur¬ 
ing the reign of the four kings spoken of by Daniel 
the prophet, to whom was given power absolute, 
the God of heaven was to set up a kingdom—not 
a republic, nor a government of some kind. The 


141 


The Kingdom of Heaven 

word kingdom defined the kind of government 
God was to set up. It had in itself the idea of 
absolute dominion, and unrestrained authority. 
There was then no idea of any constitutional limit. 
Nor has any such an idea, been, since then author¬ 
ized. God was to set up a kingdom, in all that 
kingdom then meant. It was in no sense to be a 
republic. From God’s standpoint any change 
must be rebellion against Him, and His authority. 
The throne was to be in the skies, and the govern¬ 
ment from heaven; and it was therefore called 
“The reign of heaven.” 

The laws having gone forth from the king, 
could not be changed by the subjects. If they 
changed them they were rebels; if they disobeyed 
them they were sinners, for sin is the transgression 
of the law. 

It was not the reign of Jehovah through 
Moses, for God promised to raise up another, 
(Deut. 18: 18) whom He would himself appoint. 
(Is. 28: 16.) His name should be the synonym of 
the Father; but His government should be distinct. 
(Is. 9: 6.) The government of Moses must give 
place to that of the Son, whose kingdom shall 
continue forever. That of Moses was observable, 
with metes and bounds, and its subjects were 
known by a flesh-mark; but this kingdom will not 
come with observation, and show, with its bound- 
eries defined by earthlines; but it will be a spiritual 


142 The King and His Kingdom 

government, and the mark of its subjects will be 
in the spirit; (Ro. 2: 29,) and its laws will be writ¬ 
ten upon the mind and heart; (Jer. 31: 31) and the 
reign will be over the consciences of men. Hence 
Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” 
(Luke 17: 20-21.) The same meaning is found in 
His observation to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of 
this world; it is from hence.” (John 18: 36.) 

He had been in the world, and had had His dis¬ 
ciples under His personal control; but from hence¬ 
forth my reign shall come from above. It shall 
not be a personal control over families, tribes and 
peoples; but it shall be over individuals, whose 
consciences subscribe to His authority, through 
faith in His Divinity, and whose hearts lovingly 
submit to His sway. The reign is truly within the 
disciples of the Lord. The kingdom is located in 
the souls of men, where there is a full submission of 
the inner man to the counsels and teaching—to the 
laws of the heavenly king. 

God said of the new reign “I will put my laws 
into their inward parts, and write them upon the 
hearts” of the subjects. (Jer. 31:31.) It is the 
reign of the king of heaven over the souls of those 
who affectionately receive the laws of God’s 
anointed into their minds; and lovingly, and joy¬ 
fully submit to the authority of the Divine Master; 
and trustingly come under His guidance. 


The Kingdom of Heaven 


143 


This kingdom, is not, as in the days of John 
Baptist, and Jestis, “coming”; but it having been 
established, we press into it; or come under the 
reign of the Messiah by some ceremony by which 
we are translated irom the kingdom of darkness, 
into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.” 

That ceremony produces no change of heart, 
or conscience; but a change of citizenship—a change 
from the service of sin, to the service ot righteous¬ 
ness, making us servants of God, to have our 
“fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” 
It consumates a spiritual birth into the family of 
God; making us heirs of God, and joint heirs with 
Christ. It is the matriculation into the school, 
which makes us disciples of the Great Master. He 
who teaches that the prayer Jesus taught His ex¬ 
pectant disciples, who were, from the fulfillment 
of prophecy, and the preaching of John and Jesus, 
anxiously looking for the immediate coming of the 
kingdom, and were taught by their Master to 
pray for it to come, is yet to be answered; is re¬ 
markable for nothing more than for his ignorance 
of the mission of Jesus, and of the kingdom of God. 
There was something remarkable in that prayer 
when used by them, not as repetition but as a 
manner of praying. 

(1.) It acknowledged with reverence the 
father of providence from whom cometh our daily 
gift, by, “Our Father who art in heaven .” 


144 


The King and His Kingdom 


(2.) To Him it ascribes veneration and praise 
so perfectly, and beautifully in, “ Hallowed be thy 
name” 

(3.) With longing hearts; looking for the 
coming of the kingdom, in which they were to 
have such prominence, and feeling assured of its 
near approach, they breathe the desire of their 
heart’s burden in, “ Thy kingdom come 

(4.) Recognizing human subbornness, and 
realizing that angels in heaven must do the will of 
God, and themselves willing to make the surrender 
of their own wills, to the will of God; and know¬ 
ing that nothing else can make peace between man 
and his maker, they, yielding their own wills should 
say, “Thy will he done on earth as it is done in 
heaven 

(5.) Having given up their occupations to 
follow the Master without purse or scrip; and en¬ 
tirely dependent upon God’s providences for daily 
food, they are .taught to look to Him for it, in, 
“Give us this day our daily bread” 

(6.) In recognition of God’s d? ily mercies, and 
the necessity of our becoming like Him; in the 
deepest humility, and the searching of their own 
hearts they say, u Forgive us our trespasses , as we 
forgive those who tresspass against us.” 

(7.) With the fleshly longings for wordly 
emoluments; and with opportunities for sellfish 
acts; and environments such as bring lust, and 


The Kingdom of Heaven 


145 


pride, and worldly ambition, they call on God for 
help in, “ Lead us not into temptation but deliver 
us from evil. }) 

(8.) They acknowledge his Divine govern¬ 
ment, and full authority, and protecting provid¬ 
ence, and their entire dependence, in, “ For thine 
is the kingdom, and power, and glory forever. 
Amen. My God! what a prayer for them with 
their surroundings! I never think of it as for them 
a model, but I feel like Webster, that, if He were 
not Devine, He towers so high above us, that our 
adoration is due to Him forever. 

But when I hear thoughtless souls, who an¬ 
nounce themselves in the kingdom, and perhaps 
ministers therein, repeating with sacerdotal de¬ 
meanor; “Thy kingdom come.” Or with larder 
full, and a good salary promised, and the day end¬ 
ed, and the last meal over, and all his wants satis¬ 
fied, to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” 
with sanctimonious appearance; to me looks like 
a vain, heathanish repetition, against which the 
Saviour warned us. 

Men should learn to give thanks for what they 
have had, and pray for what they need, and stop. 
That would be prayer and thanksgiving. 

The reign of heaven was spoken of by John, 
Jesus, and those sent forth by the Master as ap¬ 
proaching—something in the future, but nearly 
here. But to Paul, Jesus speaks of it as ready for 


146 


The King and His Kingdom 


the translation of people into it. The word of God 
entering into the consciences of men, through faith in 
the things preached, reaches the sympathies of 
the soul, subduing their hearts, and bringing them 
under the reign ofthe king of glory, to whom they 
joyfully, and lovingly submit in full obedience. 

The kingdom already established in the world, 
and fully organized as a government from above, 
a man with full confidence in the King, and by 
proper ceremony, can be inducted into the kingdom 
and become a member thereof. 

While the kingdom is established in the hearts 
and consciences ofthe individuals, these individuals 
also enter into the government by an open pro¬ 
fession of allegience to the King, and thenceforth, 
a willful disobedience to His laws, or a rejection of 
His authority, makes a man a rebel in the kingdom 
of God. 

It is a relation into which we enter, not by a 
profession only, or simply, calling Him Lord, Lord; 
but by conforming to appointed rules of natural¬ 
ization, or translation, in harmony with the King’s 
commands. These bring us into His service—into 
a full and joyful obedience to His will. (Matt. 
7: 21.) 

We must come into it by a ceremony so 
marked, as to become an epoch in our lives. We 
must be born into it, by a ceremony prescribed by 
the King. (John 3: 3.) 


The Kingdom of Heaven 


147 


The emoluments of the kingdom are not meats 
and drinks—the enjoyments of the flesh; but 
“righteousness;” the conscience of right-doing; the 
right as the King sees it, and has made it known in 
the gospel; “and peace,” which is perfect harmony 
with the King, without a jarring note; “and joy” 
in the spirit of holiness, (Ro. 14: 17)—spirit of 
truth. 

This kingdom is distinct from the everlasting 
kingdom, which is the inheritance of those who 
have been properly developed in this (2 Pet. 1:1—) . 

Into this men are brought through the preach¬ 
ing of the word, by which they are caused to “Press 
into it.” 

They come from their confidence in, and love 
for the King—come at His call. They hear His 
voice, and come to Him. It is a voluntary sur¬ 
render to Him that brings men into His kingdom. 
It is not like the lassoing of a wild sheep upon the 
mountain, and pulling it, choked and exhausted, 
into the fold; but He calls them, and they hear His 
voice , and come. (John 10: passim.) “He says go 
work to-day in my vineyard” but never so strong 
that man cannot say “I will” or “I will not.” 

Nothing stronger than an invitation from the 
ministry He has appointed, and sent to invite 
them to the feast, is used to make His subjects 
willing subjects of His kingdom. 

Go bid them come to my supper, is the charge 
to the servants. 


CHAPTER XII. 

THE KING. 

Every kingdom must have a King. The King 
of all kingdoms is either absolute, or limited in His 
authority. An absolute monarchy, is the only per¬ 
fect government in the universe, when the King is 
perfect, and there is perfect submission to Him. 
If man has any part in the government, it is not 
wholly Divine. 

A popular government is really no govern¬ 
ment; for in it the people do, as the people please. 
Yet the majority stand for “the people,” and the 
minority, from shear weakness, must submit. 

Macaulay was thoughtful when he asked 
“When the mob shall become the majority , who 
will control the mob?" 

If the kingdom is a monarchy absolute, the 
King, as Mr. Campbell would say, is the autocrat 
of the universe, and especially of the church. 

Crowned King of all kings, He is to reign till 
God shall put all things under His feet. Of him¬ 
self He says, “All power in heaven, and in earth is 
given unto me.” (Matt. 28: 18.) 


148 


The King 


149 


Jesus declares himself the King. While on 
earth He taught the people to keep the law of 
Moses, and He himself submitted to it; and not 
until after His coronation, did He assume more 
than simply to give instruction to His disciples. 
His sermon on the mount did not abrogate the 
law; but rather defined it, and was a beautiful 
commentary upon the teaching of Moses, and the 
spirit of the law. 

His exaltation was after death and the resur¬ 
rection, when God highly exalted Him and gave 
Him a name above every name, demanding that 
confession, reverence and submission, should be to 
Him only. (Phill. 2: 8-11.) His lordship must be 
confessed, and His authority revered by all His 
subjects, while from the throne of God His reign 
upon the earth extends. Paul does not say “Every 
knee shall bow”; and “Every tonguesiza//confess”; 
but “Every knee should bow, and every tongue 
should confess.” He expresses obligation and not 
compulsion. His subjects are willing subjects. 

The reign of heaven is from affection within, 
and not from pressure without. Truly the reign 
of heaven is within; and every motive to submis¬ 
sion comes from within. He reigns over the con¬ 
sciences, and transforms the whole being by the re¬ 
newal of the mind. (Ro. 12: 2.) 

By winning the confidence, instructing the in¬ 
telligence, and captivating the affections, He 


150 


The King and His Kingdom 


transforms the whole person into His image. Not 
in a moment, an hour, or a day, or a year; but 
through the continued labors of the ministry He 
has appointed for the work; toiling night and day, 
His image is “ formed ” in them. (Gal. 4: 19.) 

This transformation is not momentary; but as 
Jesus explains, its development, “First the blade 
then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear.” 
(Mark 4: 26-29.) 

This formation of the image of Christ in the 
soul, is what Paul calls “Christ in you.” It is such 
a perfect submission to Him, as Lord, law-giver, 
prophet, example, priest and King, that we present 
His image in our life, day by day—such confidence 
of trusting faith, that looking into the perfect 
law, we behold His character, His wisdom, and 
His will, so plainly, and so beautifully set forth, 
that we are changed into His image, which we so 
much admire, and so lovingly behold; and we go 
on from one advancement, or glory, to another 
glory, from the revelations made by the spirit in 
the gospel. (2 Cor. 3: 18.) 

’Tis thus He is our King; and our faith in Him, 
and love for Him, makes Him wisdom, righteous¬ 
ness, sanctification and redemption to us. He 
thus becomes our “all in all”—our prophet, priest 
and king, for from Him, we receive our teaching, 
propiciation and government, in the three capa¬ 
cities above named. 


The King 


151 


Through our faith in Him, He reigns and rules 
in us, and over us, as Lord of all. 

It is that submission of the soul to Him that 
makes the expression pertinent, and true, that the 
kingdom of God is within us. 

The territory is in the hearts and consciences 
of men; where the Lord reigns supreme, and His 
every law is revered and obeyed. It is not deter¬ 
mined by metes and bounds. It is the reign of 
Christ in you, and His government over you. The 
admission of any rival authority, is rebellion in the 
soul. 

Christ must be all, or nothing, to every man. 
There can be no division of authority. Every 
tongue should confess His name. The name of 
Jesus means His authority, sovereignty, govern¬ 
ment. 

To meet in His name means to meet as He has 
instructed; and to ask in His name means to pray 
for what He has authorized, and to ask for what 
He has promised. Every heathenish prayer is not 
in the name of Christ, because it ends with “We 
ask all in the name of Jesus. 11 

It is only in the name of Christ, when we ask 
the Father for such things as Jesus has taught us 
to pray for. 

Only in His name, when we pray in harmony 
with his instructions, and by His counsels. What¬ 
soever we thus ask—ask by His authority, and in 


152 


The King and His Kingdom 


harmony with His teaching, will as certainly be 
granted, as He and the Father are one, in the 
worlds redemption. So when we confess the name 
of Jesus, we confess His authority as the Son of 
God; as King, eternal, immortable and invisible. 

His name above every name, His authority 
above all authorities. To confess Him to be the 
Son of God, is to confess His thoughts above our 
thoughts, and His ways above our ways. God’s 
promise to answer prayer, is, that it be in the 
name of Christ, with a faith that can say, “Thy 
will be done.” 

Whoever confessed the name of Jesus from the 
heart, confesses and accepts Him as Lord and 
King; and immediately enters His kingdom, and is 
led by that faith, in His service; and as the faith 
grows stronger, the submission becomes more per¬ 
fect, day by day, till the life he lives is a life of 
faith, and in perfect accord with the example and 
teaching of the Lord Jesus; and the peace he 
possesses, is a perfect harmony with His will, so 
that not a discord vibrates in his heart; and his 
righteousness is in perfect accord with the teach¬ 
ing of the Holy Spirit; and his joy is the perfect 
contentment he feels in the promised blessings. 
Such a man is under the reign of heaven, and Jesus 
Christ is his King and his Lord. 

Jesus having led captivity captive, and ascend¬ 
ed up on high, His personal connection with us is 
ended. 


The King 


153 


He told His disciples He was going away, and 
He has taken His departure, and His associations 
with them has ceased, and none save Paul has 
ever beheld Him since; but He promised to send 
them another, to comfort, and lead them, since He 
would be with them personally no more. He said, 
“You shall see me no more.” “Where I am you 
cannot come now, but you shall come after 
awhile.” 

Paul says, “He ascended up far above all 
things,” and since His ascension none have seen 
Him save Paul, who says, “Last of all He was 
seen of me.” To Paul He appeared to make him 
a minister, and a witness, that He might put him 
into the apostleship from which Judas had fallen; 
thus ignoring the selection of Matthias, who was 
selected without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 
Since then His personal work is ended, and he has 
given it into the hands of those He commissioned. 
To them He said, I will send another to comfort 
and lead you. “This one shall not speak of him¬ 
self; but he shall testify of me.” His comfort then 
must be in what he says. 

He will have no authority in himself, for all 
power is given to the son. (Matt. 28: 18.) His 
ministry must be of the word. His authority must 
be in the word. All life and light, is in the word. 
“He shall testify of me.” No other authority. No 
other power. No other name. (Acts 4: 12.) 


154 The King and His Kingdom 

No salvation by the personal power, or author¬ 
ity of the Holy Spirit. The authority is in the 
word he testifies to. This unifies the work, for 
there is but one word—one gospel. The Holy Spirit 
does not testify to Buddism, Mohammedism, Mor- 
monism, Calvinism, Methodism, Presbyterianism, 
Lutheranism, et al. } by making all feel happy as a 
Sioux Indian in his ghost dance; but he testifies of 
“Me”—of the word. And gives the light of life, 
and his comfort, his guidance, his help, all come 
through the word to which he testifies, for, “what 
hefiearsthat shall he speak , and he shall—(in that 
way)—“Show you things to come.” This word to 
which the spirit testifies, and which he glorifies, is 
preached by the evangelist, with the help of the 
Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, (1 Pet. 1: 12 
and 25) and it is God’s power to save. (Ro. 1:16.) 
Made known (“reported”) to the world by those 
who evangelized, with the Holy Spirit from heaven. 
This, the’personal work of the Holy Spirit, was in, 
and through the ministry the King had appointed 
to that work. 

The Holy Spirit was to guide them into the 
truth, until all the truth necessary to save had 
been brought out, and recorded, and then the per¬ 
sonal work of the Holy Spirit, like the personal 
work of the Lord Jesus, will have been fulfilled, 
and his gifts, as prophesies, miracles, tongues, etc., 
were to be done away, with the establishment of 


The King 


155 


the perfection of gospel teaching, and the fulness 
of gospel light. (1 Cor. 13.) 

Then whoever adds to or takes from the teach¬ 
ing thus complete, will receive the Divine judgment. 
(Rev. 22: 18-29.) 

The King being infinite, His laws will be in¬ 
finite, and consequently will need no revision for¬ 
ever, for they will be complete. Since He is infinite 
in wisdom, and all knowledge, all our wants, and 
every need will be looked after. 

His law becomes the “perfect law of liberty” 
to humanity, and all who perfectly obey it, will be 
perfect in righteousness before God. 

Thus Christ as King must be either absolute 
in authority, or limited in power. As an absolute 
monarchy with a perfect King, and perfect sub¬ 
mission on the part of His subjects, is the only 
perfect government, every touch of the finite, but 
blemishes the infinite, and makes the management, 
whenever done by fallible men, as fallible as the 
men from whence it comes. 

Thus we often see the answer to Macaulay’s 
question in Congregational rule; when the flesh 
assumes the ascendency, and the spiritually minded 
must submit to the carnal for the sake of peace. 

His kingdom being an absolute monarchy, and 
Jesus being enthroned as the autocrat thereof, and 
all power and authority given to Him; it is His to 
appoint the officiary of jHis kingdom, and all 


156 


The King and His Kingdom 


officers must hold office under, and receive their 
appointment and commission from the King. Any 
attempt to introduce democracy, or any form of 
government other than the one He has adopted, 
into His kingdom, is as much treason as it would 
be to attempt the election of officers in the land of 
the Czar. And there is no reason why the punish¬ 
ment should be less than in the kingdom of an 
earthly prince. If the kingdom of heaven is a 
monarchy, then the introduction of democracy is 
as much rebellion as it would be in Spain, or in the 
land of the Sultan. It is well to look to this 
point closely, with diligence and care, “lest 
haply,” or unhappily, “we should be found fight¬ 
ing against God. 

Paul is very emphatic when he says “God hath 
set some in the church, first apostles, secondly 
prophets, thirdly teachers.” (1 Cor. 12:28.( “God 
hath set everyone in the church, as it hath pleased 
Him.” (Ibib 18: v.) 

God “set” them in the church. The church did 
not elect them, or in any way choose them. 

God placed them there; and Paul affirms that 
any attempt to choose, comes from carnality, 
(1 Cor. 3:4) and is walking as men. 

All experience shows it is flesh warring against 
the spirit; and discord, strife, and partisan feeling 
abounds. Could we but remember, that the 
officiary of the church, are gifts from God (Eph. 


The King 


157 


4: 9-13) and not the choice of the people, and then, 
had we faith enough to look to Him for them, in¬ 
stead of choosing from our own wisdom, the dis¬ 
pleasure, if not the judgments of God, and many 
jars and discords in the Church of Christ would be 
avoided. ‘Tchobud” is written upon every such at¬ 
tempt, and a languishing existence is sure to fol¬ 
low in the churches. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

God’s power to save is in the gospel; (Ro. 
1: 16) but that is useless except it is heard. If the 
power to save is in the gospel, it must be the gos¬ 
pel and nothing else. If the gospel is the power, 
something, not the gospel will not save; or assist 
in saving. Everyone brought into some church is 
not necessarily saved. Preach Buddism; Moham¬ 
medanism, Mormonism, or anything else, and you 
will make converts; but it is truth that saves. 

But truth will not save except it is believed. 
Truth affects only those who believe it; therefore 
God has no power to save the man who rejects the 
truth; and hence “He that believeth not shall be 
damned.” It can’t be otherwise in the nature of 
things. The truth when heard must be believed. 
There is no virtue in the simple act of believing. It 
is the things believed that affects the soul. If false, 
the stronger the faith the more certain the ruin. 
The truth; which is the word of God; which by the 
gospel is preached, (1 Pet. 1: 25), when heard and 
believed, saves the soul. But it cannot be heard 
and believed without a preacher. (Ro. 10: 14.) 


158 


Work of the Holy Spirit 


159 


So “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, 
to save them that believe.’’ (1 Cor. 1: 21.) “But 
how can they preach unless they are sent”—unless 
they are entrusted with a message. 

The salvation is not in the act of preaching, 
but in the message confided to the preacher, and 
believed by the hearer. If God’s power to save is 
in the gospel believed, it must be the gospel, and 
nothing else, that is preached; and when there was 
no written document to which the preacher could 
refer, it was necessary the one who preached it, 
should have an infallible guide, lest he err. 

Therefore God sent the Holy Spirit down from 
heaven to the ministry, to “guide them into all 
truth,” since by the truth we are sanctified, if 
sanctified at all. (John 17: 17.) Therefore the 
Holy Spirit cannot sanctify without the truth; but 
must act through the truth, as the Father who 
also must sanctify through the truth. 

If this spirit were sent to the sinner direct, there 
would be no need of the preacher, or preaching, 
but the spirit would take the work into his own 
hands. 

The Holy Spirit was therefore sent to guide 
the preacher, and through him the hearer—given 
as an assistant to the ministry, that the gospel 
might be truthfully preached. If the minister fails 
to preach the truth, it is not the Holy Spirit that 
possesses him; but the spirit of the father of lies— 


160 The King and His Kingdom 

the spirit of the devil, who assumes the form of 
angels of light, in order to better accomplish his 
purpose. 

It is the preaching that saves, if it is the right 
preaching. But all preaching is not of God. If not 
of the truth it is of the devil, and is death to the 
believer; and a curse to him who does it. (Gal.l: 8.) 

The testimony of the spirit is not to be chang¬ 
ed to suit the desire, or fastidiousness of all people. 

Thus the exhaltation and glorification of 
Jesus, who was the word made flesh to dwell 
among us, when disrobed of the flesh through en¬ 
tering heaven, for, “Flesh and blood cannot enter 
there”; and Jesus when He appeared, after His 
glorification, to Saul, came not in the flesh as He 
ascended, but as radiant light; it was the exhalta¬ 
tion and glorification of the word of life; far above 
all power, authority and glory, in heaven or 
among men. The messenger chosen to carry this 
word to a perishing world, was the Holy Spirit 
sent to the apostles; chosen witnesses, prepared 
through the personal ministry of Jesus, to testify 
of His life, and resurrection, while the Holy Spirit 
through them should testify of God’s acceptance 
of His righteousness, and of His exaltation, and 
coronation, as King of all kings, and through 
them reproduce the teaching of Jesus, guiding them 
into the truth of God, by which the world must be 


Work of the Holy Spirit 


161 


sanctified. (Compare John 16: 13 and 15: 3 and 
17: 17 and Acts 15: 9 and Eph. 5: 26.) 

The power to sanctify, cleanse, and save, was 
in the truth, to which the Holy Spirit testified 
through the believing, to the unbelieving world, 
that they too might believe on Jesus, and know 
the righteousness of God, “revealed from faith to 
faith,” or from the testimony of the man of faith, 
till it produces faith in the unbeliever. From the 
man of faith it goes forth, till it begets faith in the 
hearer. 

The Holy Spirit always acts upon the believer, 
and through him testifies to the unbeliever, till 
faith is produced through his testimony , or “From 
faith to faith.” For this testimony was the Holy 
Spirit sent. 

The selection of the messengers to carry the 
news of the exaltation, and glorification of the 
Word, as Lord of all, to man, was made by God 
himself. 

No vote in heaven was taken; but a selection 
of one qualified was made by God; one who 
knowing the things of God; which having heard, 
he came to speak to man, through men, of what 
he had heard. (John 16: 13.) 

A vote, while taking the government out of the 
hands of Jehovah, might, have sent Michael, or 
Uriel, or perhaps Gabriel, contrary to the wisdom 
of the Father. Perhaps by a little political schem- 


162 


The King and His Kingdom 


ing and electioneering, such as is sometimes seen in 
electing an elder in some of our churches; or a 
bishop in a general conference; some one of less 
note, might have gotten the appointment; espe¬ 
cially if those voting, could with fleshly desires, 
have used him for selfish purposes. 

But God through the word, selected one qual¬ 
ified; who knew the things of God, (1 Cor. 2:11) 
having been taken into the Divine counsels. 

In all kingdom sof this world, the introduction 
of republicanism is counted the rankest rebellion; 
so an attempt to enfranchise the family of God in 
heaven; (Eph. 3:15) or to propose a vote among 
the angels, would produce anarchy in the skies, by 
a substitution of subordinate wills, for the will of 
God. 

But if God takes no vote in His family in 
heaven, concerning whom He shall commission as 
minister to earth; what reason have we to sup- 
suppose He will enfranchise His family on earth? 
Who cannot see that a vote either above or below 
might overthrow the will of God. But is the 
“family on earth” better qualified to vote, than 
the “family in heaven?” How can he, who would 
raise the question, of, who shall God send? here in 
the church, ever pray, “Thy will be done on earth, 
as it is done in heaven?” Surely those who have 
passed to the Unseen Holy are as well qualified to 
select for God a minister; and could vote as intel- 


Work of the Holy Spirit 


163 


ligentlv upon a question of such vital importance, 
as are the babes in His family on earth, while 
burdened with the flesh and its lusts. Paul charges 
the Corinthians, who were beginning to make 
choice for themselves of ministers, with carnality; 
and I have never seen such a question raised in a 
church, but it soon developed more or less carnal¬ 
ity, sensuality, and devilishness. 

The proposition that, “Those needing to be 
taught are incompetent to select their teacher ,” 
is axiomatic. 

In all the departments of life, it is self-evident. 

If a man of the world were to choose a spiritual 
instructor, he would select more from the fleshly 
side, than the spiritual. Not until his spirituality 
was greatly developed, would he be competent to 
make choice among the spiritual. He could not 
know the difference, and judge between them. His 
after ideas of right, and wrong, would be based 
upon the instruction he received from the leader he 
had chosen. 

It is certain that if a man uncultured in the 
spiritual, were to select a leader, he would choose 
one whose teaching would harmonize most nearly 
with the flesh, and its desires, which are against 
the spirit, and its restraints upon the fleshly. It 
left to himself he would most certainly select a 
teacher in harmony with “the law in his members, ’ 


164 The King and His Kingdom 

which are contrary to the law of the spirit of life 
in Christ Jesus. 

If then, the race is ever to be elevated by teach¬ 
ing, the instructor must be selected by a power, and 
from a source, higher than itself. 

The wisdom of the Father in sending to man 
an instructor who knew the things of God, (1 Cor. 
2: 11) having been in the heavenly counsels, so he 
could speak what he had heard, is clearly manifest. 

Since man in his ignorance—a darkness that is 
prefered to light, becauses it harmonize with his 
evil deeds, giving license to his wrong doing— 
(John 3: 19) is incapable of choosing his own 
teacher; it was necessary that the messenger bring¬ 
ing the light, should have the full endorsement ol 
the one seeking our elevation; and the less man in 
his benighted condition had to do with the selec¬ 
tion, the better. 

To understand the Divine arrangement for 
human betterment, the distinction between the 
light, and the bearer of the light, must be kept 
fully, and continually in view. 

John the apostle, while showing the man Christ 
Jesus was the word of God; made in the flesh, and 
born of the will of God, declared Him to be the 
light of the world, by which every man’s path is 
lighted. “By Him, shall every man’s path be 
lighted that cometh into the world.” (John 1: 1- 
14.) In all the writings of |ohn this thought is 


Work of the Holy Spirit 


165 


emphasized. The life He brought, was through the 
light he gave. (John 8: 12 and 9: 5 and 3: 19.) 
Life eternal is to know God; and to know God is to 
keep His commandments—to believe on His Son. 
(John 17: 3,) and 1 John 1 passim and 2: 4-5.) 
This revelation of God’s will comes through the 
word; by the gospel in which the righteousness of 
God is revealed. (Ro. 1: 17.) The Holy Spirit has 
never, to any man, in any land, revealed God’s 
righteousness—the righteousness God will accept 
—without the gospel. The spirit of the devil has 
sometimes tried; but it has always perverted it to 
the curse of both preacher, and hearer. (Gal. 1: 8.) 
The Holy Spirit was not sent as the light, but as 
the bearer of the light—to testify to the light. 

“He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever 
he shall hear that shall he speak.” “He shall tes¬ 
tify of me.” 

The light he brings is the word of God; the 
authority he exercises is from the one on the 
throne, and his mission is by the commission of 
the King. The crucified, and risen Saviour, crown 
King on the throne, received the Holy Spirit from 
the Father, and sent him to testify of Himself, and 
to speak what he had heard in the counsels of 
heaven—the word of God. Jesus also says, “The 
Father will send him in my name. ,} Hence he 
come by the authority of Christ, to testify to His 
laws. (John 14: 26 and 15: 26.) 


166 The King and His Kingdom 

Jesus also declares that He is the truth, and no 
man cometh to the Father but by Him; and He 
prays the Father to sanctify through the truth; 
and declares that the truth, by which they are to 
be sanctified, is the word of God. (John 17: 17.) 
Therefore if the Holy Spirit sanctifies, it must do 
it by the truth—by God’s word. God’s power to 
save is the gospel, and if the Holy Spirit saves with¬ 
out the gospel, it must do it without God’s power 
to save; or with a power human, or demoniac. 
Certain it is, that he who attempts to save con¬ 
trary to the gospel will be accursed; and he who 
saves in harmony with the gospel, must save by 
the gospel, whether it be God, or the spirit. Only 
by the gospel is the word ol God preached; and, 
only by it is His exaltation, and glorification, made 
known; and through it, only, is His dominion, and 
power, proclaimed; and by it, only, is the righte¬ 
ousness of God revealed; and by it, only, is the 
name of Jesus Christ magnified as the only Name, 
given among men, whereby men can be saved; and 
by it only is Jesus made King of kings and Lord of 
lords, while it gives to Him all honor, and glory, 
and power. 

Much of the mist which blinds men, would be 
dispelled, could they clearly apprehend that God 
does not save by Divine prerogatives. Were he to 
save by some Divine Power, other than the gospel, 
man would still be left in darkness, to wander 


Work of the Holy Spirit 


167 


through mazes the most desolate; and God would 
be responsible for all men’s sins, as also for his 
final end; and man in heaven would be as unde¬ 
veloped as a babe on earth. That God has power 
to guild the plumage of a goose with gold, and 
bestud it with diamonds, and tip its wings with 
silver, and turn its flight upward, and place it at 
the throne with the angels, we cannot doubt. But 
it would still be a goose, and the environments 
uncongenial. So God could clothe man with ra¬ 
diance; crown him with a coronet of diamonds; 
and place him before the throne in raiments celes¬ 
tial; and yet he would be undeveloped, and un¬ 
tried—nothing but a machine upon which Divinity 
could play for His own amusement. 

More than the forgiveness of sins is meant by 
salvation. It means the bringing of the lost one 
out of darkness, into the light of God’s sunshine, 
and truth, and the development of all his higher 
powers. “The light is the life of men.” “All were 
alienated from the life of God through the ignor¬ 
ance in us, because of the blindness of our hearts.” 
(Eph. 4: 18.) The mission of Christ was for 
human development, into a fitness for the 
heavenly. For that purpose He came as the great 
teacher sent from God. When called to the 
throne, He promised to send another, the Holy 
Spirit, to take His place, and guide humanity into 
the truth by bringing the word, which had as- 


168 The King and His Kingdom 

cended tip far above all things, back for the com¬ 
fort, and development of the race. “Having been 
reconciled to God through the death of His son, 
we shall be saved by His life. (Ro. 5: 10.) By His 
death we are brought into reconciliation—renewed 
friendship—to God; to His will, His laws, and 
government, and thus come under His reign. We 
are thus saved from wrath by the life He has ap¬ 
pointed. “The life we then live in the flesh, we 
live by faith in the' Son of God. (Gal. 2: 20.) 
Whatever is done by faith, is done from a com¬ 
mand to do. So Paul says, “I live, but not I, but 
Christ liveth in me.” Having come under His 
reign, we live the life He has appointed in His 
kingdom. Such is a life of faith in the Son of God— 
a life of submission to His law—His reign—His 
government. Such a person is under the reign of 
heaven. All the appointments of his life are 
from heaven. 

The King having departed, and taken the 
throne, the mission of the spirit is to make known 
His laws, and establish His government. He is 
the medium of communication, through whom the 
King announces His will in the government, and 
by whom He promulgates His laws. This is done 
by the spirit taking control of chosen embas¬ 
sadors, and causing them to speak to their fellow 
men the word , that God has exalted in the heavens. 


Work of The Holy Spirit 


169 


Many passages in the Bible speak of being led 
by the spirit, sanctified by the spirit, saved by the 
spirit, sealed by the spirit, anew heart given us by 
the spirit, quickened by the spirit, witness of the 
spirit, etc., etc., without telling how it is done, or 
the modus operandi by which all this is accom¬ 
plished. 

Much trouble and strife, amounting really to 
civil war in the kingdom; has grown out of a lack 
of understanding of this question. Believing that 
men are generally honest, but easily misled, I can¬ 
not attribute these differences to wantonness,or an 
evil heart. 


CHAPTER XIV 

TO WHOM THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS SENT. 

Having seen that the appointments of the King 
were made from His throne in the heavens, with¬ 
out consultation with those to whom they were 
sent, and in the choice of the Holy Spirit, those who 
were to be blessed by his coming, as well as the re¬ 
cipients of the promised helper, had nothing to say 
of his selection, qualification, or work; but that he 
was selected and sent by the King himself. We 
must then first inquire, To whom was he sent? 

Jesus speaking to the twelve to whom He had 
been a comforter said, “I am going away, but I 
will send you another comforter.” This promise 
was not made to the whole world, but only to 
those to whom he had himself been a comforter. 
They had had one, or they could not have another. 

This was spoken to those who had believed in 
God, and were to believe in Jesus. Men do not be¬ 
lieve in the Holy Spirit; but they believe the Holy 
Spirit because God, and His Son has sent him. To 
the twelve were given those blessed promises. 
What they should ask the Father, in His name, 
should be done; to whom the comforter was to 


170 


To Whom the Holy Spirit Was Sent 171 


come, and to them, was to be an abiding guest. 
(John 14 passim.) 

To them he was to be sent as a personality; 
acting through them, and by them, if they loved 
Him and kept His commandments. He came to 
dwell in them. The world could not receive him. 
As a personality, he was sent from heaven only to 
the apostles, and such as God chose as embassa¬ 
dors to make known His will. Having come to 
the apostles from heaven, and taken up his abode 
with them; His dwelling place was to be with 
those who know God, and keep His command¬ 
ments. Here he was to abide. He was not Christ 
Jesus, he was “another.” He was to bear testi¬ 
mony of Jesus. The two were distinct. The work 
of the two is distinct. Men fail to understand, by 
confounding Jesus with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is 
the truth the Holy Spirit testifies to the truth. 

Jesus is the off-spring of the Holy Spirit, as He 
is of God, yet in the work of redemption, He is ex¬ 
alted more than either—exalted to the throne, 
while the Holy Spirit given to Him, or placed un¬ 
der His control, is sent to the disciples, to “Abide 
with them always.” ( aionos .) 

Unlike the devil who “walketh to and fro” 
upon the earth, seeking victims, the promised Holy 
Spirit has a dwelling place, where he abides—stays. 


172 The King and His Kingdom 

Jesus says to His disciples, to whom He prom¬ 
ised the Holy Spirit “He shall be in you.” The 
work he does must be from, or through them. 

This settled, it goes far towards establishing 
the mission of the Holy Spirit. 

If God is in heaven, and speaks to man, He 
speaks from heaven; if in the cloud He speaks from 
the cloud; if on Sinai He speaks from the moun¬ 
tain; so if the spirit abides—stays in the apostles 
to whom Jesus promised him; if he speaks to man 
he must speak by, through, or from , the apostles. 
If the world cannot receive him, and he abides 
with the apostles, he cannot reach the world by 
impact, or contact, but he must reach the world 
from those in whom he “abides”—“dwells”—“re¬ 
mains;” through whom all influence upon others, 
must be exerted. As justification refers to the past 
life, and sanctification to the future, and both take 
place at the beginning of the Christian life; for 
when we are justified from our past sins we are 
sanctified, which means set apart to a life of holi¬ 
ness-sanctified to the righteousness God requires, 
which we must do; not God do for us. The Holy 
Spirit in sanctification and justification must act 
upon the world, to whom it cannot go, only 
through the words he speaks. These words are 
the word of God, and are spoken by the Spirit 
from his dwelling place—from, or through, or by 
those in whom He abides. 


To Whom the Holy Spirit Was Sent 173 


It is certain, he is to “Reprove the world of 
sin, of righteousness, and judgment to come.” 
(John 15: 8.) 

How can this be done? if not by some impact 
influence? That he does not go to the world by 
some direct, or impact influence upon the heart, is 
forever settled with those who believe Jesus Christ. 

His influence must then be exerted in some 
other way. If he is a personality, he can have an 
influence, but cannot be an influence. As an in¬ 
fluence, he must impress; but as a personality, he 
must speak. If he acts through impressed in¬ 
fluence, his work must be vague, and very uncer¬ 
tain; as it would be impossible to tell whether the 
influence was from God or the devil. 

The contortion and extravagance of the young 
Gadarene, would by many be considered as evi¬ 
dence of pardon; but Jesus called it a devil. But if 
we can establish his personality, by demonstra¬ 
tions the most conclusive, then faith in the one 
who sends him, will cause Us to believe him—to be 
led by him—to submit to him, as the represent¬ 
ative of Him in whom we trust. 

Jesus on his ascension, having received of the 
Father the Holy Spirit, fulfilled His promise to the 
disciples, and sent him to them to be an abiding 
guest. He had told them that the world could 
not receive him; but, as we have shown in Part I, 
and repeated in this, he was to come to His dis- 


174 The King and His Kingdom 

ciples—the twelve who were not of the world; 
but were given him out of the world. He was to 
guide them into all truth, while reproducing the 
word in the gospel which Jesus had spoken to 
them, who were made able ministers of the New 
Covenant. 

Through the laying on of the hands of these 
apostles, and only the hands of the apostles, he 
was given to helpers also whom they selected to help 
in the work given by the commission. (Matt. 
28: 14.) 

He was, thus, with the apostles, and caused 
them to speak that which was given to them to 
declare. By him, when brought before kings and 
rulers, they were made to speak such things, as 
were appointed for them to speak. As a person¬ 
ality, the Holy Spirit was only given to the apost¬ 
les, and those upon whom they laid hands, for the 
impartation of spiritual gifts, until the revelation 
was complete, and written in a book; then all that 
was supernatural was to be done away. (Study 
1 Cor. 13 and Rev. 22: 18-19.) 

Those that believed the preaching of the apost¬ 
les, with the power and demonstration of the 
spirit, received the “spirit of the truth”—the will, 
knowledge, teaching, and wisdom of the truth— 
all that God put into the truth, with its love, and 
light. They receive Jesus, who said, “I am the 
truth”^and, “The words I speak unto you are 


To Whom the Holy Spirit Was Sent 175 


spirit, and they are life.” To receive the words of 
Jesus, as reproduced by the spirit, was to receive 
the “Truth,” the “Tight, which is Life,” and to 
understand it, was to receive the spirit of Truth. 
All this was received by faith in the word, preached. 

Thus the “Spirit of Christ”—“The Spirit of 
Truth” which is the Spirit of God—the Holy 
Spirit, was received into the heart of each one 
converted through believing the word—receiving 
the word into his inner soul; into himself by faith. 

By faith the spirit dwelt in that one, and by 
faith his heart was purified, and he became a lively 
stone, ready for the Master’s use in the building, or 
kingdom. 

Jesus said when he, the spirit is come—the 
spirit of truth; he shall remain always. God would 
not send him down out of heaven but once. He 
was then to take up his abode among men. “For 
thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth 
eternity, whose name is holy. I dwell in, or among 
the high and holy; with him also that is of a con¬ 
trite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the 
humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite 
ones.” (Is. 57:15.) 

“Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is my throne, 
and the earth my footstool; where is the house ye 
build unto me, and where is the place of my rest. 
* * * t 0 this one will I look; to him that is poor, 


176 


The King and His Kingdom 


and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my 
word. (Is. 66: 1-2.) 

Paul to the saints says, “Know ye not that ye 
are the temple of God, and the spirit of God dwel- 
leth in you? (1 Cor. 3:16-17.) “Ye are the temple 
of God, as God has said, I will dwell in them, and 
walk in them, and I will be their God.” (2 Cor. 
6: 16.) 

Peter says of them, “Ye are built up a spiritual 
house, to offer up spiritual sacrifices.” (1 Pet. 2:5.) 

Paul says the saints are built upon the apos¬ 
tles, and prophets, with Jesus as the chief corner 
stone; in whom the whole building fitly framed to¬ 
gether *, growth unto a holy temple in the Lord; in 
whom ye are budded together, for a habitation of 
God through the spirit. (Eph. 2: 20-22.) 

These living stones were fitly framed together . 
Not a lot of stones laying around loose; or dropped 
in a pile, to be rolled around by every wind of 
doctrine—(or windy teaching,) by the slight of men 
(Eph. 4: 14)—not knowing which would be on 
top today and which tomorrow; but by a wise 
architect they were fitly framed together ; and the 
members everyone, set —set in the church, as it hath 
pleased Him. (1 Cor. 12: 16.) These grew into a 
holy temple in the Lord. 

Thus those lively stones are budded together, 
and together form the habitation of God, by His 
spirit. 


To Whom the Holy Spirit Was Sent 177 


The spirit once sent to earth was to remain 
always, and was to be in the church for a habita¬ 
tion, when each living stone was “set” according 
to God’s will, so that the building was fitly framed 
together—a temple of God, for His dwelling place 
through the spirit. 

The spirit returns not to heaven to be “pour¬ 
ed out” occasionally, and semi-occasionally, as 
God sees fit to answer prayer; but he stays here in 
God’s temple—“remains always”; dwelling in each, 
and therefore dwelling in all. 

If then the spirit can influence the world, he 
must do it from, by, and through the church; and 
not from heaven, for he has been “sent down from 
God out of heaven” to remain with the disciples, 
who keep his commands. “Always!” Hemustgo 
back, before he can be sent down again from God 
out of heaven. Dwelling in the church he must 
now have his influence from, and through the 
church—the saints. 

In harmony with this Jesus says to His dis¬ 
ciples, “Let your light so shine among men that 
others seeing your good works, may be led to 
glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5: 16.) 

Thus if God “pours out His spirit unto all 
flesh” He must do it from the church, by making 
known His words through the “church, which is 
the pillar and ground of the truth.” 


178 The King and His Kingdom 

Hence to the sinner he comes not down from 
heaven, but from the church in which he dwells— 
abides. 

Jesus says in John 3: 8 as shown in Part /, 
“The spirit speaks where he sees fit, and we 
cannot tell whence he comes, and whither he 
goes.” He speaks, and we hear his voice. He 
spoke as God spoke from heaven, from Sinai, 
from the cloud, or as the prophet said, “With 
a loud voice in my ear,” until he was per¬ 
manently located in the saints, “set” into a 
building “fitly framed together , and compact 
by that which every joint supplieth,” or every part 
supplying its place where God set it—(not man); 
and from that building—the temple of God—he is 
“pour out unto all flesh”—the world—to every 
creature, through the gospel of the Son of God. 
Nor is there a case, in all the annals of time, to be 
found, where it has gone forth in any other way. 
The gospel must first be preached, heard, and be¬ 
lieved, before any man has ever received the spirit 
of God. And he dwells not in them until they are 
built upon Jesus Christ, in the temple of God, as 
lively stones built into a spiritual house—God’s 
dwelling place among men, and then from him, 
with the others of that building, will the spirit be 
“poured out” to others, by making known God’s 
word to them as I have repeatedly shown. 

If a church “pours out” the Koran, those who 
believe it will get the spirit thereof, and will if con- 


To Whom the Holy Spirit Was Sent 179 


verted, become mussulmen; or if it “makes 
known” the Book of Mormon, it will “pour out” 
the spirit of Jos. Sipith, or Brigham Young, to the 
hearers and those who believe will become Mor¬ 
mons; so if it preaches the teaching of Calvin it 
will pour out the spirit—mind, understanding of 
Calvin; and so of Catholicism, Methodism, Uni- 
versalism, Ingersolism, or whatever is preached; 
and if the church preaches the gospel of the Son of 
God, it will pour out to the hearer, the spirit of 
God; and if he believes it—takes it into his mind 
and heart—his inner man by faith, he receives the 
spirit of God; and if he rejects it through unbelief 
he “resists the spirit of God.” 

Or if he receives by faith something else than 
the gospel, he receives something other than the 
spirit of God. To this attests all history and ex¬ 
perience. 

Preach what you will, and the one who be¬ 
lieves it will receive the spirit of what is preached. 
The spirit from the preaching of the middle ages, 
was not the spirit from the preaching of the apost¬ 
les, and Evangelists, of the first century, Nor is 
the spirit of Catholic preaching in Catholic coun¬ 
tries the same as the spirit of Protestant teaching 
in the countries known as Protestant. 

The spirit received, is always the spirit of that 
which is preached. If it is truth it will be the 
“spirit of truth;” but if it is false it will be the spirit 


180 


The King and His Kingdom 


of the devil. It was meet therefore that Jesus 
should warn His disciples to “take heed what they 
hear;” for Divine truth will always, when believed, 
impart a Divine spirit; while the spirit of a lie 
will always be the spirit of the father of lies—the 
devil. 

So if the truth makes us free, no one is free with¬ 
out it. He is in the bondage of error—alienated 
from God, by the ignorance that is in him.” 

No wonder John, the apostle, insists that we 
“try the spirits whether they are of God.” The 
spirit from God will accept the teaching of the 
apostles, for they spoke by the Holy Spirit; and the 
spirit of God will not contradict himself. 

There is reason as well as revelation in Paul’s 
statement that he who preaches another gospel; 
or perverts the one he preached, and they received, 
will be accursed; for such an one is of the devil; and 
the spirit he sends forth, is the spirit of the devil; 
and the man who receives it, receives the spirit of 
the adversary of God; and yet like the devils in 
the days of Jesus, they may say “we know thee 
who thou art, thou Jesus the Son of God.” Yet 
Jesus commanded them to come out of the man. 

Every wild Indian-Ghost-dance, or spiritual 
table-tipping is not of God because people can’t 
account for it, and say, “There must be something 
in it.” There is something in it. The devil is in it. 


CHAPTER XV. 

TESTIMONY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

Jesus says of the. spirit which He promised, 
“He shall testify of me.” He was to guide the 
apostles into all truth by “speaking” not of him¬ 
self; but he shall speak of the things he shall have 
heard. The thing which he hears in heaven must 
be the word of God. If so, to testify of Jesus is to 
speak the word of God. This ought to be enough, 
were it not that so many passages are miscon¬ 
strued; and so many people love the mazes in 
religion; and choose darkness rather than light, 
that they may enjoy the impulses of supposed 
safety, without the trouble of obedience. 

The spirit shall testify of me; and you also 
shall bear witness. The “also” puts it in like 
manner. 

Not one by impression, and the other by ex¬ 
pression. One shall also testify, makes the manner 
of testifying the same. Let us see if this is so. 
Peter says, (1 Pet. 1: 12,) the prophets who 
prophesied of the grace of God carefully examined 
what the spirit of Christ—(spirit of the truth; of 
the word)—which was in them did signify, when it 


181 


182 The King and His Kingdom 

testified before-hand of the sufferings of Christ and 
the glory that should follow. But they learned it 
was not revealed unto themselves; but they minis¬ 
tered unto us, the things which are now reported 
unto you by them who preach the gospel, with 
the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. 

(1.) This passage clearly teaches that when 
the prophets prophesied, the spirit of Christ which 
was in them, testified concerning the things of 
which they spoke. 

(2.) The possession of the spirit did not im¬ 
part to them knowledge of itself, but simply made 
them speak; and they had to “search diligently” 
what the spirit signified, when it testified.” 

By so doing they found the things they minis¬ 
tered was not for themselves, but for those who 
were evangelized by those who, with the Holy 
Spirit sent down from heaven, preached the gos¬ 
pel. Those to whom Peter wrote were evangel¬ 
ized by the preaching of the gospel, and that was 
done through the influence of the Holy Spirit upon 
the preacher. That the angels desired to look into 
these things—the sufferings of Christ, but it was a 
mystery from the ages, till God was manifested in 
flesh, and none could go farther than the spirit 
conveyed knowledge by the prophets. Not 
enough was revealed for their benefit, but only for 
us, to whom the gospel is now preached, with the 
Holy Spirit sent from heaven. 


Testimony of the Holy Spirit 183 

(3.) In the days of Peter, the evangelist 
preached with the Holy Spirit sent down from 
heaven. It was the only way the gospel could be 
preached. 

(4.) They had no other way to know the 
gospel, and could only preach it under spiritual 
guidance. 

Those who preached by the Holy Spirit, all 
spoke the same things. Paul says he got nothing 
from Peter, nor any of the others who seemed to 
be somewhat among the brethren; “but the same 
spirit that was in Peter, was mighty in him,” and 
their preaching harmonized perfectly. The testi¬ 
mony of all was the same, by the same spirit. 

(5.) That the gospel was not of man, but 
came by revelation of God through the spirit, in 
the apostles, and evangelists, and prophets, 
through whom the spirit testified in words, and 
these words were the words of God; and both 
prophet and hearers, must search to find out what 
it signifies, with the greatest diligence. 

(6.) We also learn that prophesying by the 
prophets, is called testifying of the spirit. This is 
made very plain when Peter says, “Prophesying 
came not by the will of man, but holy men of old 
spake as they were made to speak by the Holy 
Spirit. (2 Pet. 1: 21.) 

But the Holy Spirit was not given for the en¬ 
lightenment of the receiver thereof, but to testify. 


184 


The King and His Kingdom 


His testimony was in words. Paul says, “Which 
things we speak in words which the Holy Spirit 
teaches.” 

Jesus says, “He shall speak.” What the spirit 
of God says, is the word of God. 

If the possessor would know the things which 
the spirit in him signifies, he must search dili¬ 
gently what the spirit has said, when it testified 
through him. 

In the counsel of inspired men at Jerusalem, 
with apostles and elders present, the Holy Spirit 
gave them no knowledge of God’s will, save what 
they got from the spirit’s testimony, which had 
been spoken by them, and concerning which there 
w? s much disputation; as “they searched diligently 
what it signified,” when it had, before-hand, spok¬ 
en by Peter, and others, concerning the gentiles, 
and the disputations ended with an argument, by 
Peter, and James, from revelations previously 
made. (Acts 15.) 

To this agree the words of David, in 19th 
Psalm, “The law of the Lord is perfect converting 
the soul.” If therefore, a soul is converted, it must 
be by the law of the Lord; and the Holy Spirit 
must use that law in his work of conversion, and 
sanctification. 

“The testimony of the Lord is sure; making 
wise the simple.” Hence, if wisdom is imparted 
by the Holy Spirit, it must be through the testi- 


Testimony of the Holy Spirit 185 


mony of the Lord. To pray for the enlightenment 
of the spirit, and turn from the testimony of the 
Lord, would be an insult to Jehovah. The statutes 
of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.’’ If the 
spirit gives comfort, and joy, it must be through 
the statutes of the Lord. The Ennuch heard the 
statutes of the Lord, conformed to them, and went 
on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8.) 

“The commandments of the Lord are pure en¬ 
lightening the eyes.” So, if the eyes of the under¬ 
standing are darkened, and man is alienated from 
the life of God through the ignorance that is in 
him, (Eph. 4: 18) the Holy Spirit must enlighten 
his eyes by the commandments of the Lord, and 
his testimony of these commandments gives 
light to the darkened soul. The Holy Spirit came 
not as a light, but to bear testimony of the light. 
Jesus who is the light says, “He shall testify of 
me.” It is the spirit of the devil, and not the Holy 
Spirit, that rejoices the heart while in disobedience. 
John says, “Try the spirits whether they are of 
God; for many false spirits have gone out into the 
world. Every spirit that is of God hears us.” (1 
John 4: 1-6.) “He that is of God hears God’s 
words.” 

Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice and fol¬ 
low me.” (John 10: 27.) They are not impressed 
into the fold, nor lassoed and pulled in. “The spirit 
and the bride both say come.” Both testify the 


186 The King and His Kingdom 

same, and the sheep hear, and come, if of God’s 
fold. “He said, go work today in mv vineyard;” but 
not so strong, but the sons could say, “I will” or, 
“I will not.” All these calls come by Jesus Christ, 
and the mission of the spirit is to testify of Him— 
of what he has heard from Him. 

But Jesus says again, “No man can come to 
me except the Father who hath sent me draw 
him.” But how will the Father draw? “It is writ¬ 
ten they shall all be taught of God. Whosoever 
therefore hath heard , and hath learned of the 
Father, cometh unto me.” (John 6: 44-45.) If 
drawn by the Holy Spirit it must be by hearing 
and learning of the spirit; for the manner of the 
Spirit’s work, must harmonize with that of the 
Father. And more; the Father’s manner of speak¬ 
ing, and teaching, was by the Spirit in His 
prophets, to whom they must give ear. (Neh. 
9: 28-30.) 


CHAPTER XVI. 

WITNESS OF SPIRIT CONTINUED. 

“The spirit itself beareth witness with our 
spirits that we are children of God. (Ro. 8: 16) 
This passage is used more than any other, to prove 
the direct operation of the Holy Spirit upon the 
heart, and conscience of man. 

But the “how” is not here explained, only the 
fact is stated. A careful examination shows, that 
no such meaning can be deduced from this passage. 

Our translation should read as emphatic as 
the Greek. “The spirit itself beareth witness, to¬ 
gether with our spirits, that we are the children of 
God.” 

Both bear witness, and the harmony of the 
testimony proves our childhood. If children it is 
by birth or adoption; the spirit knows the con¬ 
ditions upon which God adopts us. Adoption is a 
thing of God. It is conditional, or unconditional. 
If conditional, the spirit must know the conditions 
of the Father, upon which He will adopt us; for, 
“The spirit searcheth all things; yea the deep things 
of God”; and, “Even so the things ofGodknoweth 
no man, but the spirit of God”; and, “Eye hath 


187 


188 


The King and His Kingdom 


not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into 
the heart of man, the thing which God has prepar¬ 
ed for them that love him; but God had revealed 
them unto to us by His spirit.” (1 Cor. 2.) 

The revelation of man’s adoption must be 
made by the Spirit. We have shown that this is 
not done by impressions; but by the word of God. 
The Holy Spirit bears witness to that word, and 
thus testifies of the conditions, of childhood; of 
which no man could know, but by the witness of the 
Spirit. It is a thing of God—a deep thing of God; 
which the spirit alone can reveal; and man is de¬ 
pendant, entirely, upon that testimony, to know 
if there is any adoption for him, and what are the 
conditions of that adoption. 

But though this is revealed, it is not certain 
that the man has complied with the terms. This 
our spirit alone can tell. “No man knows the 
things of a man but the spirit of man that is in 
him;” therefore, my spirit must testify that I have 
conformed to the conditions, and together, the 
two bear witness that I am a child. In such tes¬ 
timony there can be no mistake. My spirit testi¬ 
fying that I have conformed to certain dogmas, 
does not prove that I am a child of God. The 
Holy Spirit must testify, that such conformity 
will make me an accepted child. Neither test¬ 
imony alone would prove me a child, but both to¬ 
gether make it undoubt able. 


Witness of Spirit Continued 


189 


The manner, of the spirit’s testimony, has been 
fully explained on the previous pages. 

But if the spirit testifies by impress, is the im¬ 
press made upon the flesh, or the spirit of man? 
We know our emotions are fleshly, and of the 
animal nature. The pig in the sty, is susceptable 
of great excitement, as also are all animals. The 
more one is accustomed to living under the 
control of his animal impulses, the more easily he 
becomes enthused by whatever excitement comes 
along, The same excitement, is sometime seen as 
strong in political times, as in religious revivals; 
and a man once remarked to me, that he got reli¬ 
gion at a torchlight political meeting, as much as 
he ever did in a religious revival. This excitement 
is physical, and is oftentimes the result of animal 
magnetism; while at other times, it is from highly 
wrought mental conceptions of truth. The latter 
comes from intelligent presentations of truth, to 
which the hearer gives careful attention; and 
humble obedience. Such are sanctified by the 
truth, and are convicted in their spirits, by the 
Spirit of God. Love is generally classed as an 
emotion by writers upon mental and moral phil¬ 
osophy; but in the days of Christ the Greeks had 
two words, which are rendered love in our trans¬ 
lation. The one related to the animal emotions, 
and the other to the higher judgment of the mind; 
or a spiritual love, such as exists in the mind of 
God. 


190 The King and His Kingdom 

Jesus says, “A new commandment I give unto 
you, that ye love one'another:” In this, he uses 
that word which expresses that higher thought, 

( agapa ) such as dwelt in the Divine mind, when 
He sent His only begotton into the world. 

Paul uses this word when in 1 Cor. 13: he de¬ 
fines its high spiritual attainments. It expresses 
that high conception, and exalted mental attain¬ 
ment that keeps God’s commands. John says, “It 
is of God, and it is God.” (1 John, 4:) 

It is the word used by Jesus in his question to 
Peter, John 21: “Lovest thou me more than 
these? Peter, in his reply shyly uses that lower 
word, ( philo ) which pertains to the animal emo¬ 
tions, and answers, “Thou knowest that I love 
[philo) thee.” Jesus again asks, do you love 
(agapa) me? And Peter again used the other word 
for love, [philo) which pertained to the emotional. 
The one refers to man, and is emotional; and the 
other refers to God, and is spiritual. 

Paul, to Timothy says, “God did not give us a 
spirit of timidity; but of power, of love, and of a 
sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7.) 

Here “agapa” is again used, which makes Paul 
say that the spirit of God is of high intellectual 
conception; and of sound mind. The spirit never 
debases the intellect, or degrades the judgment,but 
gives soundness to the mind; and the whole teach¬ 
ing of the spirit is, that we should keep all our 


Witness of Spirit Continued 191 

emotions under the control of the judgment of our 
mind. 

That is being led by faith, or the spirit; while 
following our emotions is being led by the flesh. 
The one is in our members, and brings us under sin, 
which is in our members; and the other is of the 
mind, and brings us under control of our judg" 
ment, or the law of our mind, and under it, we are 
led by faith. The effect of one is humility, faith, 
obedience, trust in God, and the highest conception 
of love; (agapa) while walking in the light, with 
the eyes of the understanding enlightened, being 
“able to give a reason of the hope that is in us, 
with meekness and fear”; while the other rejoices 
in a brazen effrontery, and passionate demonstra¬ 
tions, and wild senseless declarations, giving vent 
to their emotions, while groping in darkness and 
seeking to find God. 

It must therefore, in conversion and in sancti¬ 
fication, act upon the world through the natural 
avenues of thought, speaking to the living man in 
his own living tongue. 

To him who is settled in his own mind, that 
man’s spirit cannot be separated from the judg¬ 
ment of his convictions; there is no trouble in ap¬ 
prehending the avenue of approach; and the man¬ 
ner of testifying, when the spirit testifies of Jesus, 
as the crowned king of all kings. 


192 The King and His Kingdom 

The testimony of the spirit;" therefore does not 
come upon our emotional nature, exciting our 
passion to the highest frency; but it comes through 
the apostles, chosen before of God, to testify of His 
resurrection, while through them, the Holy Spirit 
testifies of His coronation, and God’s acceptance 
of His righteousness. 

This was done on Pentecost, when the spirit 
was received by those to whom he was promised, 
and they spake as he gave them utterance; and 
the people were pricked to the heart by the things 
they heard, and not from any impact by the spirit, 
and cried, “What shall we do?” Had the spirit 
gone to them instead of the apostles, they would 
not have needed to ask the apostles what to do; 
nor would they have listened to teaching; but they 
would themselves have known what to do. 

The testimony of the spirit was alike to all, and 
3000 did the same thing in order to adoption. 
It was the Spirit of a sound mind, and did not 
witness to the Buddhist, Mohammedans, Mor¬ 
mons, and all others of whatever name, or nature, 
that they were children of God, without conform¬ 
ing to the requirements of the Spirit. 

If we refuse the teaching of the Spirit, and 
keep not His requirements, we resist the Spirit 
which says, we ought; after having instructed our 
consciences in that which is right. Our conscience 
always conforms to our teaching, and goes no 


/ 


Witness of Spirit Continued 193 

farther than we are taught. That man has any 
conscience of right, beyond his instruction, is the 
most vague fanaticism. The spirit says, I ought 
but our members were against it because of its 
present inconvenience, and the judgment of my 
mind, yields to the law of my members, and brings 
me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my 
members, (Ro. 7:) and the impulses of the flesh, 
have triumphed. 

How few realize the [difference between resist¬ 
ing the will of God, and the teaching of men. 
Steven says of the Jews “Ye do always resist the 
Spirit of God; as your fathers did, so do ye.” 
(Acts 7: 51.) 

How did the fathers? By dealing proudly, 
and refusing to hear, and obey. (Neh. 9:29-31.) 

But it is evident the Holy Spirit gave no 
enlightenment except through the word; not only 
irom the council of inspired men at Jerusalem, 
where they learned the right, from an examin¬ 
ation of revelations previously spoken; but also 
from the fact that Titus, and Timothy, both of 
whom had received the Holy Spirit through the 
laying on of apostolic hands, and could speak with 
tongues, yet must receive the knowledge of how 
“to set things in order” at the places whither they 
were sent, by the written word from the apostle 
Paul. If the Holy Spirit enlightened them without 
the word, why did Paul need to write them in- 


194 


The King and His Kingdom 

structions in words, what to do, and how to do 
it? So also the written word was necessary to 
the comfort of the saints. (lJohnl:4.) “These 
things write we unto you, that your joy may be 
full.” Also see 2 John 12th, where he teaches 
that their joy comes not only from the written 
word, but also from speaking it face to face. So 
also the knowledge of our having eternal life, 
comes from the written word. (1 John 5: 13.) 

This position is strengthened by Jesus saying 
to His disciples when He sent them forth, “He 
who hears you hears me; and he who hears me, 
hears Him that sent me’” and whoever rejects you 
rejects me. 

This is easily comprehended from the fact, that 
if we hear God, it must be His word that we hear. 
Before it the people at Sinai felt , and trembled. 
To reject that word, is to reject God, and Christ, 
and the Holy Spirit. The mission of the Spirit, 
was to bring forth the word—to cause it to be 
spoken. “He whom God has sent speaketh the 
word of God; because God giveth the Spirit to 
Him without measure. (John 3: 34.) 

The Holy Spirit was to teach them what to 
say, when brought before rulers (Luke 12: 12.) 
“For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of 
your Father which speaketh in you.” (Matt. 
10 : 20 .) 


Witness of Spirit Continued 


195 


The spirit did not impress Phillip with a desire 
to ride; nor the Ennuchwith a desire for company, 
but “The Spirit said to Phillip, go join thyself to 
the chariot.” (Acts 3: 29.) 

The scriptural record of all the leadings of the 
Spirit is, “The Spirit said” What the Spirit said 
is the word of God. 

In the prophets the introduction of each mes¬ 
sage, is “The word of the Lord came to me, say¬ 
ing,” Carefully examine the Book of Ezekiel 
and we find the word of the Lord came to him, to 
be spoken to the people. How did the word of the 
Lord come to the prophet? To Isaiah it came by 
visions which he saw, concerning Judah and Jeru¬ 
salem. (Is. 1: 1.) 

But Ezekiel says He cried in my ears with a 
loud voice. (Ezek. 9: 1.) Again the hand of the 
Lord fell upon him, and gave him a vision, and 
then , “He said unto me.” These visions are ex¬ 
plained Acts 10; when after the vision the “Spirit 
said unto Peter.” So after the vfsion “God said 
to Ezekiel.” 

Visions and miracles attract attention and 
give confidence, but the instruction comes by the 
word of the Lord. 

So when God directed Elijah, it is written, 
“The word of the Lord came to him.” (1 Kings 
16: 1 and 17: 2 and 18: 3, etc.) So in the cave at 
Horeb the Lord came and said to him, “What 


196 The King and His Kingdom 

doest thou here?” “And He said, go forth and 
stand before the Lord, and the Lord passed by, 
and a great wind shook the mountain; but the 
Lord was not in the wind.” An earthquake; “But 
the Lord was not in the earthquake.” Then fire; 
“But the Lord was notin the fire.” “After the 
fire a still small voice. ” But not so still and small 
but Elijah heard it, and, “when he heard it, he 
went and stood at the entering of the cave, and 
there came a voice unto him saying, What doest 
thou hear, Elijah?” God was in that voice. 
Elijah heeded it, when he heard it. God spoke 
again and commanded him, what he wanted. God 
did not impress, but commanded. God has always 
been a lawgiver; and His accepted people have al¬ 
ways been legalists enough to hear His law, and 
obey it. 

Adam was the first anti-legalist and those who 
have opposed legalism since then have been Adam¬ 
ites. The first convert to his anti-legal principles 
was Cain who ignored the law of sacrifice; yet of¬ 
fered; but offered what seemed to him to be “the 
spirit oi the law.” 

“The statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing 
the heart; the commandments of the Lord are 
pure enlightening the eyes.” (Ps. 19: 8.) 

“Sin is the transgression of law. (John 3: 4.) 
The God-loving keep the commandments. (1 John 
2: 1-10.) “Whosoever turneth his ear from the 


Witness of Spirit Continued 


197 


hearing of the law, even his prayer shall be abom¬ 
ination.” (Prov. 28: 9 and 15: 8.) 

It is a terrible judgment upon anti-legalism. 
I had sooner be anti-organ, anti-society, anti-Sun- 
day-School, than to be opposed to law. “The law 
of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.” (Ps. 
19.) 

Soul means life, and convert means to turn, 
and if a life is ever changed to righteousness, it 
must be from the preaching of God law. It is the 
law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, makes us 
free from the law of sin, and death in our members. 
The command of the Lord is pure, enlightening the 
eyes. With the eyes of the understanding darken¬ 
ed we are “alienated from the life of God through 
ignorance.” (Eph. 4: 18.) My people are destroy¬ 
ed for lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4: 16 passim .) 
None can delight in the pathway of life, except 
through the commandments of God. 

The law, and commandments of God, can only 
come by the Holy Spirit speaking through the 
apostles, and prophets; and making known what 
we must do in order to the favor of God, and our 
adoption into His family. This was the mission 
of the Holy Spirit, sent by the Master to the apos¬ 
tles. Neither philosophy or revelation, shows any 
other way to convert a soul from error, or turn a 
man into the right path, but to tell him what to 
do; and that would be God’s law. If God uses any 


198 The King and His Kingdom 

means beyond that, He destroys human responsi¬ 
bility. If He uses stronger means and fails, He 
manifests His weakness, and inability to change a 
man by Divine prerogations. The work of the 
Holy Spirit then is through men—holy men, who 
testify of Christ from the Holy Spirit sent down 
from heaven. 

“He shall receive of mine , and shall show it un¬ 
to you” was the promise of Jesus to the twelve. 
“He shall speak what He shall hear.” Coming 
from God he shall know the things of God, and 
shall reveal them unto the apostles, who shall 
speak them in “words which the Holy Spirit 
teacheth;” explaining spiritual things in spirit¬ 
ual language to those spiritually inclined; (1 Cor. 
2: 12-15) who will turn from animal pleasures, to 
attend to instruction in spiritual things, in which 
the animal man, led by passions and feelings, takes 
no delight. Additions may be gained by other 
means, but to what are they united? Devotion to 
some superstition is not honoring God, nor serv¬ 
ing the Lord Jesus. 


CHAPTER XVII 

SUMMARY. 

The only thing in the universe that could atone 
for human guilt, and leave God just in justifying a 
sinner, was the sacrifice of the word of God, by 
which man was condemned. God sent Him in the 
end of the age, as a sin-offering, having been typi¬ 
fied long before, in the sacrificial lamb offered up¬ 
on the altars, of patriarchs and Jews. 

“The spirit of God overshadowed the women, 
and the power of the Highest came upon her, and 
the holy one that was bom of her was called the 
Son of God.” (Luke 1: 35.) Because of His great 
love for the world, God sent Him, as His only be¬ 
gotten, to redeem it. Plaving in His death made 
atonement, He was raised from the dead, and ex¬ 
alted highly; and given all authority in heaven and 
earth. His dominion being on the earth, His laws 
must be promulgated in the earth; and the Holy 
Spirit qualified by knowing the things of God; hav¬ 
ing heard it from the Father, and the Son, was 
sent to testify of the things he had heard—of the 
exhaltation and glorification of the word, above 


199 


200 The King and His Kingdom 

all things on earth, or in heaven. Since as King 
He is to reign, His laws must be promulgated, as 
His subjects are to be willing subjects. 

The offers of His grace must be given in lan¬ 
guage which the one sought can clearly compre¬ 
hend. He must therefore speak to man in the lan¬ 
guage of humanity—in words brought by the mes¬ 
senger sent from the King. These words must be 
spoken by the man direct; either by some medita¬ 
tion or immediate^—must come like sounds from 
the deep, ringing through space into the ears of 
every one, like the thunderings of the law from 
Sinai; or they must be spoken by holy men, espec¬ 
ially qualified by the spirit to declare the things 
the Holy Spirit has heard. 

Such embassadors must be chosen and quali¬ 
fied to the full satisfaction of the exalted Saviour, 
and by Him sent out to the work. How shall they 
preach without a message given them—“without 
having been sent.” The choosing and sending of 
those to preach the word belonged to the one 
crowned. They were embassadors for Christ, and 
came in His stead, with the words of reconciliation. 
He said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen 
you” and, “I send you as sheep among wolves.” 

To qualify them for the work, HesenttheHoly 
Spirit to them to guide them into all truth, and 
through them to reproduce the teaching of their 
Lord, that they might preach Him to all the world. 


Summary 


201 


Thus Paul says, (2 Cor. 5: 16-20.) Though we 
knew Him—at first—after the flesh; yet now know 
we Him no more—in that fleshly appearance; but 
are fully reconciled to God—to His wisdom, His 
will, and His righteousness, being satisfied that 
what He commands is right; but now, through 
the spirit of His word as communicated by the 
apostles, we know Him as the Blessed and only 
Potentate; King of all kings, and Lord of all lords; 
enthroned in the heaven, in light inapproachable, as 
our wisdom, and scanctification, and our redemp¬ 
tion—the all and in all to His saints. 

Those who receive the word by believing it— 
by taking it into their inner man, their spirit, by 
faith—receive Christ. Many rejecting much of the 
word, only think of Jesus as He appeared in the 
flesh to make atonement, and reconcile us to His 
will, wisdom and righteousness as we behold its 
beauty in human life as represented by Christ; but 
having beheld that, we now know Him no more 
after the flesh. Having become reconciled to God 
—“God is spirit/’ and we know Him only by His 
revealed wisdom, as given by His word; we now 
know Christ no more after the flesh. We love Him 
not as in the flesh with carnal associations and 
conceptions; but we behold Him in the word of 
God into which we look as in His face, and under¬ 
standing it, we are changed by that understanding 
—the spirit of the truth—into His likeness from 


202 


The King and His Kingdom 


glory to glory; or from one step of enlightenment 
to another step higher as by the spirit of the Lord 
—the spirit of truth. (2 Cor. 3: 16-18.) 

The mission of the word, whether, in the flesh 
embodied, or, in the gospel preached, is to enlighten 
“Every man that cometh into the world.” ( Tohn 
1.) If to deceive the world by preaching that 
which is not true, is to darken counsel and lead 
men from the true light—to lead men from Christ, 
who is the light of the world, is the work of the 
devil; then to lead men into error, is doing his 
work; and he who thus deceives, is the servant of 
Satan. No wonder Paul says he is cursed. (Gal. 
1.) The spirit of satan is in him, though never so 
honest he may be. Whatever deceives the world 
into a misunderstanding of the truth through sub¬ 
tility, either by causing doubts of that which is said, 
or the misinterpretation of the same, is of Satan, 
whether embodied in a wily serpent, or in a 
smoothed face, silver-tongued, college bred litura- 
ture; who with fine speech, choice retoric, and im¬ 
pressive elocution, “leads captive silly women, and 
the untaught, by dissertations on “Science so- 
called.” 

If as John says, “Jesus is the light, and the 
light is the life of men;” no man hath life who hath 
not that light. Christ came a personal Saviour 
until His personal work was accomplished. He 
then said to His disciples; I am going away—go- 


Summary 


203 


ing to leave you. To you I commit my personal 
work. To the Father He said, “The words thou 
gavest me I have given them and they have re¬ 
ceived them. (John 17.) To them, He said, “Ye 
are the light of the world.” “Whosoever hears 
you hears me; and whoever hears me hears Him 
that sent me.” Again, “I am come a light into the 
world.” It was not his personal presence that 
gave light, like the halo of a full moon. The halo 
in His pictures is imaginary. It is not a fleshly 
Christ we worship, Paul says, “Though we have 
known Christ after the flesh, yet now hence forth 
we know no more after the flesh.” We now know 
Him as the light; and receive Him as the light. 
The light is in the truth by which we are sancti¬ 
fied. The word of God is the truth. (John 17.) 

Whoever receives the word of God by faith— 
by believing it—receives the truth. Jesus says, “I 
am the truth.” Then the truth is Christ. 

John says, He was the word and as the word, 
was the true light that lighteth every man that 
cometh into the world. (John 1:1-14 passim.) To 
receive the word by faith, is to receive the truth by 
believing it—to receive the light into our darkened 
understanding when alienated from the life of God 
through ignorance; (Eph. 4:18)—to receive Christ, 
who is “the word,” “the truth,” “thelight”—“the 
life.” 


204 


The King and His Kingdom 


“This is the word which by the gospel is 
preached”; (1 Pet. 1: 25) and hence “the gospel is 
the power of God to save.” (Ro. 1: 16.) We do 
not receive Christ personally into our hearts; by 
faith. Faith comes by hearing the word. (Ro. 10: 
10.) By believing the word preached we receive 
the truth—receive Christ. If we reject the truth we 
reject Christ—reject the Holy Spirit from our 
heart; our conscience; our inner man. 

John says, “He that hath the Son hath life; 
and he that hath not the Son hath not life. (1 
John 5: 12.) “The life is the light of men.” (John 
1:4.) 

He then who by faith receives the word—by 
believing it—receives the truth, the light, the life— 
receives Christ—the Son of God. 

It is thus we take Christ into our hearts by 
faith. If we take in error, or deception, by believ¬ 
ing it, we take in the devil, darkness, death; and are 
alienated from God. 

All this cheap talk about Christ being our 
creed if understood in any other light isthevariest 
nonsense—inexplicable. To believe Him to be the 
Son of God, is to accept Plis authority, wisdom, 
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption as 
He gives it, in the gospel. 

If it is understood that Christ is the word, the 
truth, the light, the life to be received by faith; then 


Summary 


205 


such talk has a significance sublime. Otherwise it 
is the most peurile twaddle. 

If to dispute a part of what God has said; to 
deny the punishment God has threatened; and 
show the blessedness of the wisdom which comes 
from disobedience; was the work of the old serpent 
in the garden; me thinks I catch a little snakish 
odor, when some very learned, and subtile, and 
finely accomplished young preachers; who have 
studied everything but the word of God; are caus¬ 
ing doubts among the untaught, by the introduc¬ 
tion of what they are pleased to call “Higher Criti¬ 
cism,” and urging that the hell God threatens is 
about as good in some respects, and a little better 
in others, than the heaven He has promised; and 
tell us of the wonderful wisdom we will enjoy, 
when we come out the restraints of narrow legal¬ 
ism. Such preachers have not been born of God; 
(1 Pet. 1: 23 and Ja. 1: 18.) The seed would re¬ 
main in them. (1 John 3: 9.) They were hatched 
in schools from saurian’s eggs. 

James says, “If any do err from the truth and 
one convert him; let him know that he who con- 
verteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall 
save a soul from death.” (Ja. 5: 19-20.) This set¬ 
tles the question of the meaning of error, from the 
truth. It means death; as murder means death; 
and the man must be converted or lost. No sickly 


206 The King and His Kingdom 

sentiment dubbed “Christain Charity” by the 
timorous will save him. He must be converted or 
lost, as every heathen is lost. True charity will 
make us enter earnestly, and faithfully into efforts 
for his conversion; showing his error, correcting 
his follies, enlightening his mind, denouncing his 
teaching, rebuking, reproving, exhorting till he is 
brought to repentance. 

It is a narrow mind that thinks because he is 
a good fellow, and we like him, and want him 
saved, God will take him to heaven to make dis¬ 
cord in the skies. Heaven is a place of eternal 
peace and all discordants will be shut out. The 
erring must be converted here are lost forever. 

The wonders of redemption as a mystery hid¬ 
den through the ages, was the coming of Christ in 
the flesh as the word of God embodied in human¬ 
ity—the Son of the Highest—God manifest in the 
flesh; that He who had spoken unto the Father by 
the prophets, might declare His counsels to us 
through His living, loving Son. (Heb. 1.) 

When He put off His mangled body, and as¬ 
cended into heaven, and was crowned King of all 
kings; it was the exaltation, and coronation of the 
word of God, far above all principalities, and pow¬ 
ers, to become the blessed and only potentate, 
King of all kings, and Lord of all lords. 


Summary 


207 


By none, can he be honored, who do not in faith 
receive, and willingly submit to Him as the word 
of the living, loving God, and walk in the light 
thereof. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH. 

Having shown that the miraculous gift of the 
spirit, was for the purpose of giving the word of 
God to the world, through his testimony of His 
glorification, and exhaltation to the throne; and 
that his spiritual influence upon the apostles, and 
those upon whom they laid their hands, caused 
them to speak the word of God to the people of 
every land, in the language in which they were 
bom; and this work having been fulfilled in the days 
of the apostles, (Col. 1: 5 and 23) the miraculous 
work of the Holy Spirit is finished. Being per¬ 
sonally sent from the enthroned Word, to pro¬ 
claim the word to the Sons of men, so with the 
word of God enthroned in our hearts, the spirit 
holy will be sent out in our lives as '< n impressive 
sermon. The words spoken by Jesus, are declared 
to be spirit and life. They are life because life is in 
them to the believer, who receives them into the 
soul. “The life is the light of men.” Jesus is the 
light of the world, only, because of the words He 
spoke; and these are the word of God. “What I 
have heard of the Father that I declare unto you.” 

208 


Spirit in the Church 


209 


As the word of God He is the light of the world. 
Not a light, but the light. 

Those walking in death, are those who believe 
not the word; and thus, receive not the truth con¬ 
tained therein. The word is light, whether mani¬ 
fested in Jesus, or preached in the world, with the 
Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. 

As I have shown the Holy Spirit gives no light 
except through the word. So the words of Jesus 
were spirit, because He put His spirit into them, 
as every man puts his own spirit into his words. 

If I speak, my spirit goes out in my words. He 
who believes me believes my words, and if he loves 
the things I say, receives my spirit in his heart, 
and through his heart, my spirit goes into his life, 
and he is led by my spirit. 

How many from reading the published ac¬ 
counts of the James boys, have drunk in the spirit 
of a bandit. No boy can love to read the newspa¬ 
per descriptions of a prize fight without getting 
into the spirit of pugilism. A girl in Massillon, 
Ohio, read the literature of the fallen women of 
New York, and caught the spirit of it and left the 
home of the Presbyterian minister, for an aban¬ 
doned life. When we take any teaching into our 
hearts, we take also the spirit of it, and it enters 
also into our lives. If we hate it, we reject it. So 
whoever receives the gospel by faith, from the tes¬ 
timony of the spirit, in connection with that of the 


210 The King and His Kingdom 

apostles, fully demonstrated by the display of 
miraculous power from the Divine Spirit through 
the apostles, showing his divinity by well attested 
signs, and marvelous wonders performed; bearing 
testimony to the word till it is implanted in our 
hearts, with the spirit thereof; will bring forth the 
fruits of love, joy, peace, long suffering, etc., (Gal. 
5: 23) in the life we live. 

Such is the spirit of the word; and our accep¬ 
tance of the word by faith, implies the reception of 
the spirit also. 

To be born of God is to be begotten by the 
word; (1 Pet. 1: 23 and James 1: 18.) and such is 
the spirit of that word, in our hearts, that we 
cannot practice sin while the seed remains in the 
heart. With the word of God dwelling in our af¬ 
fections we can’t practice sin; for from the abund¬ 
ance of good, in the heart, will come forth the 
good in life. Such an one, walks as the word em¬ 
bodied walked while here on earth. As Paul 
would say, such an one is led by the spirit—the 
spirit of the word he has received; which is the 
Spirit of Christ. 

John writes of the exaltation of the word, and 
the one receiving it, and keeping all its commands; 
while Paul writes more of the result of the recep¬ 
tion of the word upon our inner man, as one that 
is led by the spirit; as in that word we behold the 
face of Jesus Christ, and are changed into his im- 


Spirit in the Church 


211 


age, not in a moment; but from one glory to an¬ 
other—from one light, to another light—as the 
fuller revelation comes; and is understood; for 
glory means illumination (2 Cor. 3: 14-18.) When 
Moses is read there is a veil of darkness, impen¬ 
etrable, but when we turn to Christ and read Him, 
the darkness gives away. 

We read the Lord—His word—just as Moses is 
read, and His face is unveiled, and we look into it, 
and are changed from one glory into brighter 
glory, as from the Lord of Spirit. 

Through the word He breathes His spirit; and 
His life, and character, is “ formed ” in us, through 
the ministry of the word. 

The preaching of Buddhism will beget the spirit 
of Buddhism, as the preaching of Methodism will 
beget the spirit of Methodism, distinct from the 
spirit of Presbyterianism; as the spiritual mani¬ 
festations of the preaching of Whitefield, were 
distinct from that of the preaching of Jonathan 
Edwards. So preach Mohammedism and you 
will see the spirit of the Allah they worship, in 
every one who hears it, and believes it. It is 
the preaching that makes the distinction of spirit 
between the different sects, and peoples in the 
world. It is the doctrine, which produces the 
spirit of Romanism in Catholic countries. To this 
add the teaching of Ingersoll, and you will see 
among those who aceept it in full faith, the spirit 


212 


The King and His Kingdom 


of the man who proclaims it. ’Tis thus we behold 
that when the word is brought forth with its lull 
gospel light by the Spirit of God; and is received 
by faith into our inner man—our spiritual self— 
it will mould our spiritual nature into the image 
of Christ, and our spirits will be in His likeness; 
and our thoughts, and the fruit we bear, will be 
the same as the spirit of God in Christ. 

To have the spirit of Luther is to have a 
spirit of faithfulness and coldness, and energy, like 
Luther’s, and to have the spirit of Wesley is to 
have the spirit of earnest devotion which he pos¬ 
sessed; and to have the spirit of Mohammed is to 
have the spirit found among Mohammedans; and 
in the same way to have the Spirit of Christ 
is to be educated, so completely, as to drink in the 
full Spirit of the Master and bear the fruit he bore 
in the life He lived. 

But I am asked if Peter on the day of Pente¬ 
cost did not promise the personal indwelling spirit 
to all who repented and were baptized in the name 
of Jesus Christ. I answer emphatically No! The 
personal indwelling spirit was promised only to 
the apostles; and to those, also, it was imparted 
upon whom they laid hands, for help in the work 
of the ministry; as they needed such helpers in the 
beginning of the gospel, before there were any 
scriptures written. Those who were baptized on 
Pentecost did not receive the spirit on account of 


Spirit in the Church 


213 


their baptism, and in the light of observation it 
would seem doubtful if all, ever received it, either 
as an impartation, or as a cultured disposition in 
the Lord. 

But did not Peter say they should receive the 
gift of the spirit? Yes; but the gift of the spirit 
was what the spirit gave, and not the spirit itself. 
Paul speaks of the gifts, of the Spirit as tongues 
prophesying miracles, healing discerning of gifts, 
etc. (1 Cor. 12: passim.) But these were not 
given because of baptism. To what then shall we 
apply tbe promise? (Acts 2: 38.) We can apply it 
only to that which the people asked for:—salva¬ 
tion from sin. Stricken with remorse and a guilty 
conscience for having crucified the Lord of glory, 
they asked, “What must we do?” The reply came 
quickly to the believing sinners, who were cut to 
the heart, through hearing the word preached 
by the apostles on that day, with the Holy Spirit 
sent down from heaven, “Repent and be baptized 
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for 
the remission of sins , and you shall receive (it as) 
the gift of the Holy Spirit.” They would get what 
they were baptized for; as a free gift of the Spirit 
of God; for salvation is not of works but it is the 
gift of God through the dispensation of the spirit, 
and power of the gospel of His grace. (Ro. 1: 16.) 

It is said the gift of a dollar is the dollar itself. 
Yes; but the gift of the man is not the man him- 


214 The King and His Kingdom 

self; but the dollar. There is a difference whether 
the expression is applied to animate beings or an¬ 
imate things. The gift of God is the Spirit of God 
to the apostles; but the gift of the spirit is salva¬ 
tion from sin by the power of God; which is the 
gospel, which he brings to the world. Any other 
view does violence to a careful reading of the scrip¬ 
tures with an unprejudiced mind. 

But did not God pour out His Spirit upon all 
flesh? And was not that fulfilled on the day of 
Pentecost. No. He said He would pour unto 
all flesh His Spirit, and it began on that day at 
Jerusalem, by sounding out the word of God, as 
explained on previous pages, and the effect of it 
would be that His servants and hand-maids, who 
received it, would prophesy. If it was the per¬ 
sonal spirit, that the apostles received, that was 
meant, then it was to be given to all flesh—the 
servants of God and the servants of the devil alike; 
and there was no need that any should prophesy, 
for each could do his own teaching if each received 
it. Paul says he got nothing from Peter or the 
rest of the apostles; so saint and sinner would re¬ 
ceive it alike;—“all flesh.” But if it was poured 
unto all flesh, it began with the apostles at Jeru¬ 
salem by making known God’s word to every 
creature as commanded in the commission and 
promised by God. (Prov. 1: 23.) To pour out 
His Spirit unto them is to make known His words, 


Spirit in the Church 


215 


and this was being done by the apostles to whom 
the Spirit was given. The pouring out of God’s 
Spirit, is the making known of His word. 

We can imagine but two ways by which His 
words can be made known. (1.) By a voice from 
heaven as at Sinai, Jordan, and on the holy mount. 
(2.) By filling chosen prophets, or embassadors 
with His spirit, and by them making the words 
known to the people. This would be pouring His 
spirit—intelligence, wisdom, will, etc.—unto all 
who were to receive such words—“to all flesh”; 
“every creature”; all nations; or to whom the 
word of God was to be sent. This was done also 
by His Son who received the spirit without 
measure. (John 3: 34,) 

Here John states it as a prevailing fact, that, 
whoever God sends speaks the words of God, for 
God giveth not the spirit by measure to him. 

Nothing can be more conclusive than that who¬ 
ever receives the spirit of God will speak the words 
of God. If God’s prophets, or embassadors, receive 
the spirit of God and by that spirit proclaimed the 
words of God; then the spirit of God, His wisdom, 
intelligence, will, love, mercy, compassion; for 
“God is spirit and these are His attributes, and 
are conveyed in His words—is poured unto the 
hearers—all flesh—every creature—all nations, etc. 
The spirit God gives, is not a frenzy; but the spirit 
of power, and of love, and of a sound mind—the 


216 The King and His Kingdom 

spirit of the knowledge of God. (2 Tim. 1: 7.) 
Whenever the word of God is preached the spirit 
of God is poured unto the hearers. If they reject 
the words they resist the spirit as did the Jews as 
charged by Steven. (Acts 7:51.) 

They resisted the spirit “as their fathers did.” 
Neliemiah tell how the fathers resisted the spirit 
which testified against them, in the prophets, by 
casting His laws behind their backs—by rebelling 
against God. (Neh. 9: 26-30.) 

Thus to resist the word is to resist the spirit; 
to preach the word is to pour out the spirit. 

From (John 3: 34) the conclusion is inevitable 
that when God give one His spirit, it will cause 
him to speak the word of God. If one speaks the 
words of God, the spirit of God is poured unto the 
hearer—God’s call, His counsel, His reproof, His 
wisdom and His knowledge, all go with the pour¬ 
ing out of His spirit unto the people, and by the 
people may be received by faith in the word of 
God, or rejected, scorned, and disregarded. (See 
Prov. 1: 20-25.) 

It is also conclusive that all who have this 
spirit will speak the same things; and all who re¬ 
ceive the spirit thus poured out, will receive the 
same things. None can receive His spirit and re¬ 
ject His words; nor can any receive His words and 
resist His spirit. 


Spirit in the Church 


217 


But some may still ask if Peter did not prom¬ 
ise them the Holy Spirit as a return for being bap¬ 
tized. Not the Holy Spirit; but the gift of the Holy 
Spirit. The gift of the Hofy Spirit is what the 
Holy Spirit gives. I cannot see why they should 
be baptized for one thing and be promised some¬ 
thing else. This people had crucified the Lord; and 
felt the burden of their sins; and in the agony of 
their conviction, under the preaching of the Holy 
Spirit asked what they must do. The burden of 
the discourse was to prove them sinners, and hear¬ 
ing they were cut to the heart. Evidently they 
asked how they should escape the penalty of their 
sin. Peter answered ‘‘Repent and be baptized in 
the name of Jesus Christ and ye shall receive the 
gilt of the Holy Spirit.’ ’ 

What the people wanted, was forgiveness; and 
what they were to be baptized for, was forgive¬ 
ness. 

What the spirit was sent for was to save from 
sin, and the terms were faith and baptism into the 
name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matt. 
28 : 11 .) 

By Peter the spirit commanded this and prom¬ 
ised them what? That which they wanted? or 
something else? 

God is spirit. God is holy. Then God is Holy 
Spirit. What the Holy Spirit does, God does. 


218 


The King and His Kingdom 


Paul says, “The gift of God” is God himself? Nay! 
“Is eternal life through Jesus Christ—salvation. 

What else could have been the promise on 
Pentecost? 

Again, the personality of the Holy Spirit did 
not come from baptism, nor did the gifts of the 
spirit, such as healing, tongues, interpretation,etc. 

In Samaria believers were baptized both men 
and women; “but the Holy Spirit had fallen upon 
none of them” till Peter and John went up and laid 
hand on them. At Jerusalem he fell upon none but 
the apostles, and not until the Sixth Chapter do 
we find that any had received the “gifts” of the 
spirit. Certainly Ananias and Sapphire did not 
possess the Holy Spirit though they had been bap¬ 
tized. 

Paul says the gifts of the spirit are what the 
Spirit gives; as healing, tongues, etc. Since he did 
not give himself but was himself given through 
laying on of apostles’ hands, we conclude that he 
gave to the people what they desired, and were 
baptized for. Nor can I think the promise of the 
Holy Spirit, as a gift to them, and their children 
is found in the context. Reference to the promise 
made by Joel, was a part of the exhortation to 
save themselves, as in the 40th verse. 

I would certainly reason that the promise was 
salvation to those upon whom His name was call¬ 
ed. (See 18th-21st verses.) His spirit was to be 


Spirit in the Church 


219 


poured upon His servants, male and female, from 
heaven direct, to make them prophesy. That was 
always the mission of the spirit. God would also 
show prodiges in heaven, and on the earth, and 
those upon whom His name should be called, would 
be saved. How shall they call without faith? And 
how shall they believe without hearing? And how 
shall they hear without a preacher? And how 
shall they preach without being sent? God sent 
His spirit to His servants, that they might preach. 
They prophesied, or preached. Those who heard 
believed, and upon them the name of the Lord was 
called; and they were baptized into it, for remis¬ 
sion of sins, with the promise that they should be 
saved. Not to them only but to their children and 
all afar off. This salvation is of the Holy Spirit, 
or under the dispensation of the spirit—not of 
work as under the law; but a gift through our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

“God is rich unto all that call upon him.” 
How rich? “Whosoever shall call upon the name 
of the Lord shall be saved.” How shall they call 
upon Him? By believing from the heart unto— 
toward righteousness. That refers to the future 
life—right doing; and confessing with the mouth, 
unto salvation. This refers to the past sins. This 
was what they were taught to do on Pentecost 
by the Holy Spirit, and salvation from past sins 


220 The King and His Kingdom 

was the promise, as a gift of the Holy Spirit under 
the dispensation of the spirit. 

The gift of the spirit is what he gives. He gives 
not himself for he is the gift of the Father. 

Of what we have written this is the sum. 
When the Eternal God, and Father, in the begin¬ 
ning of the creation, spoke, He put His eternal at¬ 
tributes, wisdom, power, knowledge, truth, love, 
mercy, light, life, et ah —Himself into the word— 
“And the word was God.” 

When the Holy Spirit sent from the Father, 
came to the earth for human redemption, he spoke. 
Into his words, he, like the Father, put himself; 
and His “words were spirit and they were life.” 

Whoever believed the word believed the Father; 
or received the word, received the Father; or re¬ 
jected the word, rejected the Father—rejected the 
wisdom, power, love, and mercy, of the Father. 
So whoever received the words of the spirit re¬ 
ceived the spirit, its wisdom, guidance, love, joy, 
peace, gentleness, et ah; and whoeverresistethHis 
words resisteth the Holy Spirit. 

This statement is not only comprehensible, and 
makes the subject comprehensible; but it is made 
in the language of scripture itself. It does away 
with the wild superstitions, and speculations, 
and fanaticisms of so many in our day, and brings 
us to the reception of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit 
by faith in the word, which was humbled in the 




Spirit in the Church 


221 


flesh, buried in the earth, resurrected by the 
Father, glorified in the heavens, preached by the 
Holy Spirit through chosen messengers, believed 
on in the world unto righteousness—right doing— 
and confessed into salvation. This is Paul’s sum 
mary of the mystery revealed. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


PREACHING. 

Notwithstanding the wonderful love of the 
wonderful God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; 
and the wonderful agony and sufferings of the 
wonderful Saviour; ,and the wonderful exhibition 
of His life, and manifestation of its glory among 
men; not a soul could be saved without preaching. 
Not a heart could be touched, or a wandering soul 
convicted of sin without telling the story of Plis 
love and His life. “For after that in the wisdom 
of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it 
pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching to save 
them that believe.” (1 Cor. 1: 211.) In a system 
of salvation through faith; and as none could 
believe without hearing and none could hear with¬ 
out preaching, (Ro. 10:) the preaching was as im¬ 
perative as the blood of Christ. The story must 
be told in the fulness of its beauty, and sweetness 
of its gentle and Divine fragrance, before the heart 
can be touched by the wonders of His grace. But 
the power to save is not in the preaching but in 
that which is preached. The gospel is God’s 
power to save; and if any man is saved it must be 


222 


Preaching 


223 


by the power of God. (Ro. 1: 16-17.) If the 
power is in the gospel and anything else is 
preached, I care not how eloquently, the soul of the 
hearer, who believes it, is lost. The death of Christ 
to such an one is all in vain. The preacher has 
ruined a life with his preaching and a soul for 
whom Christ died is lost forever. 

No wonder the anathames of heaven are called 
upon all who pervert the gospel, or preach an¬ 
other. (Gal. 1: 8) 

No gush, however beautiful, can supply the 
place of gospel teaching. 

To preach Christ is to preach the word of God; 
and hence Paul’s most solemn charge to Timothy 
before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, was to 
preach the word. (2 Tim. 4: 1.)—That word is 
quick —not a dead letter but alive—and powerful 
and sharper than a two edged sword. (Heb. 
4: 12.) By it we are born again. (1 Pet. 1: 23.) 
(James 1: 8.) It is profitable for reproof to the 
erring; for the correction of the wayward; for in¬ 
struction, to the ignorant, in righteousness; that 
the man of God may be cultured in grace, unto 
perfectness of life, and a readiness in good works. 
(2 Tim. 3: 16-17.) 

This preaching is not an appeal to the emo¬ 
tions, or the fleshly side; but it is by instruction 
on the side of man spiritual. Paul speaking of 
Christ says “Whom we preach warning every 


224 


The King and His Kingdom 


man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that 
we may present every man perfect in Christ. (Col. 
1: 23.) The preaching, that tends to perfection of 
life and character in Christ, is wise warning and 
teaching. It is by instruction in righteousness, 
that perfection in righteousness is reached, and the 
man of God is furnished for—made ready for good 
works. 

And this instruction is not always conserva¬ 
tive. When charging Timothy to preach the word, 
Paul tells him to reprove and rebuke, as well as ex¬ 
hort, and Jesus and the Holy Spirit have given 
many examples of most caustic denunciations. 
The time often comes when mild and conservative 
preaching will not meet the emergency, 

’Tis then the world needs a John Knox, a 
Martin Luther, or a Simon Peter, or an Elijah. 

At such times the sword of the spirit should be 
weilded with vim, and both edges made to cut,and 
thrusts made as with dagger points, in rebukes the 
most thrilling. When sheet lightning will not burn 
the miasm out of a foul atmosphere God sends it 
in bolts; and He puts thunder with it. 

’Tis then young and untaugh Endeavorers 
with weak faith in God; and some old church bar¬ 
nacles who have held to the bottom, a great 
hinderance to progress, expend their sympathy on 
some old ox, or an ass, that got in the way and 
was killed. It needs faith in God, and his word, 


Preaching- 


225 


to make a preacher such as Paul, and such as he 
would have Timothy to be. The pulpit is no place 
for one who caters to every wind and wave; like a 
political demagogue. With God on his side and a 
lost world before him, the pulpit is no place for a 
coward. The first step from faith upward is to 
virtue—courage. (2 Pet. 1: 5.) Paul with solici¬ 
tude the most ardent asked theEpesians saints to 
pray for him that he might be pleasing to all? Nay 
verily; but that he might open his mouth boldly , 
to make known the mysteries of Christ, for which 
he had suffered the loss of all things, and was even 
then an embassador in bonds; yet, that, therein he 
might speak boldly, as he ought to speak. (Eph. 
6: 19-20.) 

It is a wonderful thing to be a faithful preacher 
of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To carry man’s souls 
toward the the gateway of bliss eternal; attuning 
their minstrelsies to anthems heavenly; and fitting 
the lost, and wandering, and wayward, who have 
been groveling amid the fleshly, for society angelic, 
amidst the spirits of just men made perfect, before 
the throne of God our father, and the Lord Jesus 
Christ, the Saviour of men. 

Let us not sing, “I want to be an angel and 
with the angels stand”; but let us sing “I want to 
be a man with all that manhood means, when re¬ 
deemed by Jesus Christ, and perfected by His grace 
which brings salvation; by teaching us that deny- 


226 


The King and His Kingdom 


ing ungodliness, and worldly lust, we should live 
soberly, righteously, and godly in this world; which 
covers the whole of life’s relations, to ourselves, to 
others, and to God; while we look hopefully up¬ 
ward to the end of the struggle, in the coming of 
the Lord. (Titus 2: 11.) 

A young man that cannot give up the praises 
of men, and the flatteries of the unholy, and learn 
to breath in the atmosphere of Christ, and the 
apostles; and carry his cross up Cal very amid 
sneers and buffetings, along the path trod by Jesus 
of Nazareth, has not the right stuff for a martyr; 
and like Peter, before the silly maid, would blush, 
and deny the truth, when the truth is unpopular. 

Let us preach the word, be instant in season, 
and out of season; confute, rebuke, exhort, with all 
long-suffering and teaching. The time is quite 
near; aye! now is, when the truth will be un¬ 
popular; and man will love, fables, and harrangs, 
and twaddle, with story tellings of human exper¬ 
iences, and children’s days, and childish exhibits 
more than the truth as in Christ, and the knowl¬ 
edge of God. 0! watch thou; and watch me that 
we enter not into temptation. 

It is a wonderful thing to be a true man from 
a human standpoint. But to be a man as viewed 
from God’s throne, with a heart so large as to 
take in the whole world, as did Jesus the Master; 
and with sympathies tender, and soul transparent, 


Preaching 


227 


and selfishness subdued, and love crowning all 
graces, is the highest attainment of earth, or the 
skies. 

Let us therefore labor lest having preached the 
gospel to others, we ourselves should be a cast¬ 
away. Let us be faithful, for the time is short; and 
if we listen; we may even now hear the rippling of 
the waters at the crossing. 


CHAPTER XX. 

APOSTLES. 

Jesus having ascended up far above all princi¬ 
palities, and powers, sends gifts to men. 

These gifts are gifted ministers whom He had 
qualified, and sent to administer His government. 
(Eph. 4: 8-12.) He gave “first apostles” and set 
them first in the church. (1 Cor. 12: 28.) He made 
them seniors, simply because first sent to com¬ 
mence the work of building up the kingdom. These 
He first qualified by His personal instruction, dur¬ 
ing His earthly ministry, and made them witnesses 
by special qualifications given them, for the work 
of the ministry, to which he called them. They 
were to be witnesses of His resurrection. During 
His life they were his most intimate associates. 

By day they hung upon his lips, and saw his 
works. Before them he calmed the sea, opened 
blind eyes, healed the sick, and raised the dead. 
They knew the intonations of His voice, the color 
of His eyes, and every expression of His face. They 
saw Him die, and carried His marred, mangled 
form to the tomb, all cold and stiff in death, and 
left it there three days. He arose, and afterwards 


228 


Apostles 


229 


they saw Him. Put their fingers into the print of 
the nails, and their hand into His side. 

They saw him with their eyes, and their hands 
handled Him, as they did before His resurrection. 
They saw the empty tomb, where they laid Him, 
and heard His last commission, and watched Him, 
as He ascended from their midst, till He passed the 
clouds which shut Him from their view. To all 
this they could testify. Thus far they were “eye 
witnesses of His majesty.’’ His patience, and 
goodness, and loving expressions, was the story 
they had to impart, and to which they bore wit¬ 
ness under the most terrible persecutions. But 
they could go no further. That was the end of 
their mission. 

Any thing beyond that, must come from an¬ 
other source. The Holy Spirit must testify of His 
exaltation, and glorification. That he had seen, 
and he only. These men were qualified for their 
work, and chosen by the Master to fulfill it. They 
were especially qualified, having been with Him in 
His life, death, and resurrection. When Judas fell, 
and his place was to be supplied, the eleven sought 
out a person qualified. They found several per¬ 
haps; two especially; but dared not choose either. 
Nor did they dare to vote, on, which should be the 
one. They could only testify to these two having 
the qualifications. 


230 The King and His Kingdom 

These qualifications were clearly stated by 
Peter. He must be one, who had accompanied 
them, all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and 
out among them, from the baptism of John, till He 
was taken up from them. (Acts 1: 22.) They 
found two qualified for the work. Both had seen 
all of his manifestations, having been with the Lord 
Jesus all the way. One was, apparently, as well 
qualified as the other; but the question of choice 
was not left to them. One hundred and twenty 
disciples were there to vote, but none dared to 
suggest a choice. 

All could testify to the qualifications of both, 
or either; but none dared to say which he favored. 
Had one said I am for Matthias, and another I 
am for Joseph, it would have been proof of their 
carnality. (1 Cor. 3: 4.) 

A vote would have suggested a preference not 
allowable, and strife, and vain-glory, would have 
been the result. The natural affect of a vote is 
political scheming, and fleshly pride, and perhaps, 
yea most likely, an unqualified man would have 
been chosen, and made an incompetent official in 
the kingdom of heaven. 

No doubt this has been observed, from the 
little congregation in Sleepy Hollow, when choos¬ 
ing an elder; to the excitement in a General Con¬ 
ference, when electing a bishop; with the attend¬ 
ant manifestation of abundant carnality. The 


Apostles 


231 


choice was not of men, but of God. The multitude 
ol the disciples testified to their qualifications; but 
the choice must come from the King. This could 
not be done bj a vote, as that would only show 
the choice of the people. Since vox populi, is seldom 
vox dei ; but more generally the voice of the devil; 
they did not venture a popular vote, lest an offi¬ 
cial of Christ’s kingdom, should be carnally 
selected. 

They cast lots, praying God to show which 
“He had chosen The choice was to be of God in 
His providence, and by lot was His wisdom to be 
manifested. “The lot fell on Matthias, and he was 
numbered with the eleven apostles.” 

This represents the true method of appointing 
officials, in the church, and perfectly harmonizes 
reason, with revelation. In it there is not a 
particle of democracy, or of congregational 
assumption. The multitude of the disciples found 
the men, of the qualifications required. This could 
be done by no one else, for the multitude with 
whom they lived knew them, and could testify ot 
their character and opportunities. A small minor¬ 
ity in such testimony, would have destroyed their 
eligibility. All who know anything of the matter, 
concured in the testimony, that both had been 
with Jesus all the time, from the baptism of John 
till He ascended. But the choice was of God, and 
not of the people—by lot and not by a vote. 


232 


The King and His Kingdom 


Had there been but one qualified the choice 
would have been the qualifications; and since God 
required the qualifications the choice would have 
been of God. But since there were two equally 
elligible, the choice must be made by lot, unless 
God saw fit to immediately interpose. Had there 
been a score equally elligible, the lot would have 
decided among all. 

With fervent prayer that God would show 
which He had chosen; they cast lots. If God by 
providence controlled the lot, the choice was of 
God, and clearly manifested. 

Had Joseph alone been qualified the qualifica¬ 
tions which nominated him, would certainly have 
appointed him; but Matthias being also qualified, 
God’s choice fell on Matthias; though perhaps had 
a vote been taken Joseph might have received a 
vast majority. 

Besides, in the management of this affair, there 
was no chance for political chicanery at the time, 
nor dispute afterwards. No place for an ambit¬ 
ious partisan is found. Joseph must say, “Lord 
thy will be done;” or he would show himself unfit 
for the office. 

The personal calling of Saul, as an apostle to 
the gentiles, was another instance of the King 
selecting his own officials for the kingdom. 

To these apostles alone was the spirit sent. It 
was not given to the people, as some suppose, on 


Apostles 


233 


Pentecost for the salvation of souls; but was given 
only to the apostles, causing them to speak the 
word—the power was in the word—and the peo¬ 
ple were pricked to the heart from hearing the 
word, and received no gift, or promise, till after 
repen tence and baptism. (Acts 2: 38.) The spirit 
was given to guide them into all truth while 
preaching the gospel; for it is not the preaching 
that saves, but the truth preached that sanctifies. 
(John 17: 17.) Error preached would leave them 
in ruin eternal. 

While truth could not save without being 
preached, the mere act of preaching would save no 
one. It was necessary therefore that the Holy 
Spirit should guide the apostles into the truth, by 
taking possession of their persons; and causing 
them to speak as the spirit gave them utterance. 
Truth is always spoken. God is true and in Him 
is no lie; but God is not truth. His word is truth. 
Jesus as the word says, “I am the truth.” To 
guide them into truth, was to guide them to speak 
the word of God. The Holy Spirit did not guide 
them into the true way; or life; but caused them 
to speak the truth. A true life, would be from 
keeping the words spoken, and would be a thing 
of morals. The Holy Spirit did not come to con¬ 
trol their morals, but to affect their speech. Their 
moral life was based upon obedience to the things 
spoken, the same as mine or the readers; and for 


234 


The King and His Kingdom 


that they were as responsible to God as am I, or 
are you; but the Holy Spirit was to guide them 
into all truth, and for the truth spoken they were 
not responsible; but the Holy Spirit was responsi¬ 
ble for every utterance—for every truth ; but not 
for any act they committed; for he was not to con¬ 
trol their acts, but their words. He was to guide 
them into all truth, only. The man who perceives 
the difference between what is true, and a truth 
spoken, apprehends the difference between God’s 
responsibility for their moral life, and the revela¬ 
tion of truth spoken by them. The life of the apos¬ 
tles was no more controlled by the spirit, than my 
life. They heard the word, and chose to obey, or 
not to obey, as any man does; but it guided them 
into truth; so that they spoke, as made to speak 
by the Holy Spirit. Paul says he did not the 
things he would, but in that was controlled by 
the law in his members, which were at war with 
the law of his mind; and often captivated him to 
the law of sin and death. (Ro. 7 and 8 passim.) 

To guide them into all truth, is to guide them 
to speak the word of God. 

God was in the Christ reconciling the world to 
himself; for God is true and there can be no recon¬ 
ciliation, to such a God, but through the truth. 

Jesus having ascended up above all heavens, 
the word of reconciliation was given to the apost¬ 
les, (2 Cor. 5: 14-19) to act in Christ’s stead. 


Apostles 


235 


Since man is born again, of the word of truth, 
there must be some one appointed to preach it, 
and preach it right. 

If the gospel is God's power to save, the word 
preached, must be the gospel. Nothing else. (Gal. 
1: 8.) And since it is put into the hands of fallible 
man, he must have an infallible guide. Therefore 
the Holy Spirit was given them that they might 
truly, and perfectly, bring forth the word, by which 
the world must be saved. 

To them Jesus said, “When brought before 
rulers you need not study what to say, for it shall 
be given you in that hour. It was not so said of 
every one. This was to the apostles alone. Many 
false spirits have gone out into the world, and John 
advises us to try the spirits. That which is of 
God hears the apostles, confessing that God came 
in the flesh. He that knoweth God must hear 
what they say, for He is now revealed through 
their words, and he who knows God, must walk in 
harmony with the commands given by them, 
(1 John 2: 4.) 

These apostles did not learn from each other 
what to speak, but spoke directly by the Holy 
Spirit—by revelation from God; and all who spoke 
by the Holy Spirit spoke the same things; preached 
the same word, by which all were born unto the 
one family of God; and all were of the same mind, 
and judgment. (Cor. 1:10.) 


236 


The King and His Kingdom 


Paul’s statement then was a philosophical 
fact, as well as a revelation, “If any man or angel 
from heaven preach any other gospel than the one 
they had received, let he be accursed.” (Gal. 
1: 6-9.) 

Any other gospel would set forth a righteous¬ 
ness not acceptable to God; and cause schism in 
the kingdom of Christ; leave the people ignorant 
of God’s view of right-doing, to “go about to es¬ 
tablish their own righteousness.” Thus it was 
necessary the apostles should be endowed, that 
they might faithfully declare the word, testifying 
to the truth, unto all men, and properly proclaim¬ 
ing the gospel of Lord Jesus Christ. 

To them also must be given the power to im¬ 
part the Holy Spirit to helpers in the ministry, 
that they also, might make no mistake, and 
preach no other gospel. As it would be impos¬ 
sible for the twelve apostles, by themselves, to 
carry out the commission, and preach the gospel 
to the whole world, it was necessary their helpers 
in the ministry, should also be endowed in like 
manner, till a book was written, compiling all the 
instruction given to the world by the Holy Spirit. 
Could it not reasonably be expected that they 
should have the power to impart the spirit, to 
such as were called to help in their work? 

It should not be permitted for enthused men, 
and hjrsterical women, to pour forth, from some 


Apostles 


237 


wild excitement, a torrent of ignorant nonsense, 
and call it the words of the Holy Spirit. Since the 
twelve were set to jtidge the new Israel, it was 
most proper they should have the selecting, and 
endowing, of those sent forth to preach the word, 
as helpers in the ministry. 

Therefore it was good order to arrange that 
those appointed to heal, should receive the gift of 
healing; and those who were to prophesy, the 
gift of prophesy, etc., by the laying on the hands 
of the apostles. Paul writes Timothy, not to 
neglect the gift received, through the laying on of 
the apostle’s hands. (2 Tim 1: 6.) 

There was another gift, given through the 
teaching of the prophets, on which Timothy was 
to meditate, and give himself wholly to. This was 
that to which he was set apart through the laying 
on of the hands of the eldership. It pertained to 
doctrine, exhortation, reading, meditation. It was 
outside of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and per¬ 
tained to the study of the word, which had al¬ 
ready been brought out, which should be kept in 
mind—remembered, and thought about. (1 Tim. 
4: 13-14.) This answers well, to what would 
now be given to a young evangelist. That given 
by the laying on of Paul’s hands was a spirit; an¬ 
other thing; and was dependant upon the laying 
on of apostolic hands; and none received the Holy 
Spirit, with the special gifts it brought, except 


238 


The King and His Kingdom 


through that means. They then became helpers 
of the apostles, and were qualified to speak the 
word. 

But lest those beginning preachers should 
come to think all they said was by the Holy Spirit, 
they were kept near the apostles, often journeying 
with them, lest they should be led to speak unad¬ 
visedly. Thus Paul, had a number of such evan¬ 
gelists continually near him, leaving them at cer¬ 
tain cities to finish some good work begun, and 
then hastening again to his presence. They do not 
seem to have been called by the church to the dif¬ 
ferent places whither they were sent; but were left 
there by Paul the aged, with authority to set 
things in order, under his direction. 

Fearing for himself, Paul went up to Je¬ 
rusalem, “privately at first,” to compare notes 
with the other apostles, lest he should run in vain. 
(Gal. 2: 1.-) 

The mission of the apostles was: 

1st. To bear witness to the thing they had 
seen of the Lord; of His death, and resurrection. 
Like all witnesses, they must have seen that,- 
which they were appointed to testify to. Of 
course a witness can have no successor. He can¬ 
not speak of what he has heard from others; but 
must testify to what he has seen. 

2d. He must be specially appointed by the 
Lord, and by the Master sent to the work. 


Apostles 


239 


3d. He must receive a special, and miraculous 
endowment of the Holy Spirit; a demonstration 
of which must be manifest in miraculous gifts, as 
healing, prophesy, etc. 

4th. By the authority of Jesus he must preach 
the gospel to the world, and make converts of all 
people. 

5th. He was to bring the multitude of the 
disciples, or converts made, into order, and proper 
organizations, and appoint persons, under God, to 
care for them. 

6th. To instruct the saints in thier duties, and 
in all Christian work. 

7th. Take charge of church finance, till men 
could be reared with proper qualification, to take 
the work off their hands. 

8th. To formally set, such help, as were 
needed, apart to their work, and teach them the 
duties they were to perform. In short, in connec¬ 
tion with their apostleship, to do also, the work 
of an evangelist, and set the young converts in 
order, appoint elder, and try them when they 
walked contrary to proper order, in the church of 
God. , 

This will come under the head of the work and 
duties of evangelists. While Paul was an apostle, 
(1 Cor 9: 1,) and Acts 22: 14-15,) he was also sent 
out to do the work of an evangelist, (Acts 26:16- 
18,) and set things in order in the church, and or- 


240 The King and His Kingdom 

dain elders, (Acts 14: 23,) while preaching the 
gospel to the world, and teaching the saints. 
(Matt, 28: 19-20.) 

The testimony of these apostles, is the only 
proof we have ol the Messiahship of the Crucified. 
They had “Companied with Him all the time, that 
the Lord Jesus had gone in and out among them, 
beginning from the baptism of John, unto the same 
day He was taken up from them.” (Acts 1: 21-22.) 

They had been eye witnesses of His majesty. 
Had known the sweetness and purity of His life; 
and listened to the wonders of His teaching, 
which they were to repeat to the world when He 
had departed from them. They saw the demon¬ 
strations of His Divine power, in the exhibitions 
of His miracles day by day. They had seen the 
winds and the sea obey Him; and the fig tree 
wither at His rebuke. They beheld the blind man 
see, in response to His “Be open.” 

The dead damsel at His “Talitha cumi,” awoke, 
in their presence, to life and love again. They 
saw His soiled garments whiten, and brighten, like 
the sunlight, and His eyes become 
and his countenance sparkle like a diamond; and 
his voice was sweet as the ripplings of the brook¬ 
let. When Moses and Elias met Him on the Holy 
Mount, and prostrated themselves in His presence 
and did Him honor as the chiefest among the ten 
thousand and the one altogether lovely; and from 



Apostles 


241 


the cloud, lit up with more than lightning splendor, 
and radiant with the presence of the Divine, they 
heard the Father’s voice sa}'ing, “This is my Son, 
the Belovetli; let Him only, be heard.” 

They saw the weeping sister, with face all 
scalded with tears, spring forward to embrace a 
brother with the cry, “He lives,” when with His, 
“Lazarus come forth,” he lifted the putried form, 
untouched by hands, from the grave; and he that 
was dead stood, flushed and smiling, with rich 
blood cursing through his veins again. 

They could not be mistaken. They saw tur¬ 
bulent old Gallilee nestle into quiet, when He said 
“Peace be still;” and the roaring tempest hush its 
frightful notes into subdued silence, at His word. 
They saw the boisterous waves of the sea, carry 
Him gently, as a mother rocks her babe in her 
arms. At his command disease departed from the 
afflicted, with health and beauty all restored. The 
palsied were made strong and sturdy , by His word; 
and lepers, frightfully consumed, made whole and 
sound. Blind eyes were made to see, almost each 
day, for three long years and more, and howling 
snarling devils made to stop their noise, and take 
their exit. 

They could not be mistaken. They saw Him 
die; helped take Him from the cross, and washed, 
and wrapped His form in linen clean and white; 


242 The King and His Kingdom 

and laid Him in the tomb, and went away to 
weep. 

Three days they mourned; and then they met 
the one they knew, and loved so well, alive again; 
and He was with them forty days. They could not 
be mistaken. 

They saw their Lord ascend. They walked be¬ 
side Him, down as far as Betheny, and standing 
with Him there, He lifted up His hands to bless 
them, and at once began to rise, before their eyes. 
As He went up His form grew less, and less. His 
mantle floated out a little from Him. His eyes at 
flrst looked lovingly upon them; then were lost in 
the distance as he went higher up. They gazed and 
wondered, and watched Him. When too far away 
to see His smile they caught His last salute, as 
with a wave of the hand He entered the cloud 
which hid Him from their sight. 

And still they gazed till angels bright, in white 
apparel, unnoticed stood beside them, and said, 
“Ye men of Gallilee, why stand ye gazing up into 
heaven? This same Jesus which is taken from you 
into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye 
have seen Him go into heaven.” 

They never forgot the promise “He will come 
back.” They bore their persecutions without com¬ 
plaint and preached on, always remembering “He 
will come back.” Undaunted by the lash, the rack, 
or the fagot, they fought on, toiled ever, with full 


Apostles 


243 


assurance, knowing “He will come back.” And 
when death by violence came to them, they met it 
bravely, and smiling they went to meet Him. They 
could not have been deceived, and their dying- 
triumphs showed they could not be deceivers. 
Surely Jesus was all He claimed to be. He was 
the Christ the Son of God. The blood He shed was 
for the world He loved. He surely came to seek 
and to save the lost. 

But beyond the cloud the eleven could give no 
testimony. 

A witness from the skies must testify to what 
transpired thence. 

The Holy Spirit is sent to make the testimony 
full. “He shall testify of me” said Jesus. The Holy 
Spirit by the mouth of David takes up the nara- 
tive where the apostles were obliged to stop and 
testifies that when the “cloud” of angelic mes¬ 
sengers dropped beneath Him and bore Him up¬ 
ward, and as they approached the throne, sang out, 
“Lift up your heads 0! ye gates; and be ye lifted 
up ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory 
shall come in.” 

From the attendants within comes the inquiry 
as they answer back in the heavenly cantata, “Who 
is the King of glory? And answering their own 
response they say, “The Lord strong and mighty; 
the Lord mighty in battle.” 


244 


The King and His Kingdom 


Then from the triumphant host attending Him 
in His ascension, comes the refrain with command¬ 
ing impressiveness, “Lift up jour heads 0 ye gates; 
even lift them up, ye everlasting doors and the 
King of glory shall come in.” 

Again, rich in its melodious strains and im¬ 
pressive in its repetition; thus signifying that none 
but the victor can enter, comes from within the 
response, “Who is the King of glory?” Warbling 
the answer to their own question they repeat, 
“The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. (Ps. 
24.) 

The curtain falls. Eye hath not seen, nor ear 
heard the rejoicings and raptures of the heavenly 
host while, He who, made a little lower than the 
angels by the sufferings of death, is being crowned 
with glory and honor, and given a name (author¬ 
ity) above every name (above all authority) in the 
heavens above, or in the earth beneath. To testify 
to this the Holy Spirit was sent to the apostles, 
who on the day of Pentecost with the Holy Spirit 
sent down from heaven, proclaimed His exhalta- 
tion and glorification. 

But for this testimony no mortal could ever 
know of the exaltation, coronation, and glorifica¬ 
tion of the man of sorrows—the victim of Calvery. 

Somewhere between the last sight of the eleven, 
as he entered the cloud, and his appearance to 


Apostles 


245 


Saul, he dropped the mantle that He wore, and 
“put off” the body that ascended. 

Peter says when speaking of the body as a 
dwelling—a tabernacle, he must soon put it off as 
the Lord Jesus Christ hath showed him. (2 Pet. 
1: 13-14.) Paul says we are going out of this 
body to be with Christ. (2 Cor. 5.) 

So somewhere, Christ Jesus put off His marred 
and scared body, with its hands and feet pierced, 
and its side cleft, and put on His glorified body; 
more beautiful than the morning and more daz¬ 
zling than the sunlight. It was in that radiant 
body He appeared to the Tarsus persecutor at the 
gate of Damascus. Thus Paul became a witness 
of His glorification. Hence Paul says more of His 
exlialtation and glorification than all the others. 
“Last of all He was seen of me also as of one born 
out of due time.” Little could he say of the life 
of Jesus, to which the others testified—of the Son 
of God stooping with pity over the couch of the 
suffering, and His words of compassion to those in 
affliction; but rapturously would he tell of His 
enthronement in heaven, the triumphs of His exal¬ 
tation, and the wonders of His reign and His name, 
above the heavenlies, the earthlies and the infernal. 

So wonderful was the radiance of Jesus in His 
glorified state that Paul lost his sight, and his see¬ 
ing was an astonishing miracle ever after; and he 


246 


The King and His Kingdom 


could say, “I do always bear in my body the 
marks of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Such was the work of the apostles and of them 
there could be no successors. 


CHAPTER XXI. 

PROPHETS. 

“And He gave some apostles and some proph¬ 
ets.” (Eph. 4.) “He set some in the church first 
apostles, secondarily prophets.” (1 Cor. 12.) 

A prophet is generally considered, one who by 
the Divine spirit is enabled to foretell events. The 
power to foretell was given by the spirit. 

They were not responsible for what they said; 
but holy men spake as they vrere moved by the 
spirit. 

They were not voted into office by a demo¬ 
cratic church, but must have the qualifications. 
You cannot make a prophet of any one unquali¬ 
fied, any more than you can make an apostle of 
one who has not seen Christ. “Paul says: Am I 
not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ?” 
This was his qualification, and without it no pow¬ 
er on earth could make an apostle of him. Then, 
when thus qualified, he must be appointed to the 
work by the ascended Lord. Not that every one 
who saw Christ was an apostle. 

So to be a prophet a man must be endowed 
with the spirit of inspiration sufficiently to be able 

247 



248 The King and His Kingdom 

to declare event in the future with an accuracy 
Divine. 

But a prophet is not only a foreteller; but an 
exhorter, who can encourage the church by heavenly 
promises for the good cheer of the saints amid 
life’s reverses, and sadness. 

In the beginning it was necessary that upon 
them the spirit of inspiration must come, giving 
them an understanding through Divine revelation; 
by which spirit he may speak of the things which 
will give comfort and hope to the hearers. But the 
day of that prophesying has passed. 

Paul says, prophesying has ceased in the ful¬ 
ness of revelation. 

Now we catch the spirit of prophecy from the 
understanding of the revelation made by the 
prophets of old; as we get the spirit of the testi¬ 
mony from the apostles who have testified. 

As apostolic testimony convinces us, so inspir¬ 
ed prophesy encourages us. From them we gather 
the spirit of the prophet; and understanding their 
predictions, we gather, for those who hear us, 
words of comfort and encouragement. 

No man can be a prophet by being voted into 
the office; any more than he can be an apostle by 
being selected by the church. He must first be 
qualified, and then chosen and sent by the King. 
His appointment must come from heaven either 
by a direct choice, or by a discription of attain- 


Prophets 


249 


ments made through the spirit in the word, with 
instructions in the whole manner of his selection 
and appointment, and by whom the appointment 
is made; and in harmony with the law of appoint¬ 
ments, he is “set in the church” by the authority 
of the word—Christ. 

He is an exhorter by a declaration of joys in 
store for them that love Him from the revela¬ 
tions of the spirit in the word, which he under¬ 
stands by careful investigation, and in the church 
reproduces it for the comfort of those who hear. 

No unqualified man can be appointed to the 
position of prophet. Like the apostle he must be 
prepared for the work before he can be sent, even 
by the Lord himself. 

By wisdom eternal no man can be appointed 
to a work for which he is unprepared. 

Indeed such an appointment would be per¬ 
fectly useless. He could not prophesy any more 
than one could bear witness simply because he was 
appointed an apostle. 

No greater folly was ever manifested among 
men than to appoint a man to teach who is not 
qualified for teaching; or to testify who has no 
testimony to give; or to prophesy who has no 
message to declare. The qualifications of one to 
any position in life, is a very important factor to 
be considered, and it is not to be conceived of the 
King eternal, immortal and invisible; the only wise 


250 


The King and His Kingdom 


God, that in the appointments of the officiary of 
His Kingdom, the qualifications would be over¬ 
looked. 

When Moses was being prepared for his work, 
God took him into the courts of Egypt, and he was 
learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. And 
after forty years study in the schools of the most 
civilized nation of antiquity, he was taken by the 
providences of Jehovah to the mountains ofHoreb, 
and trained for forty years more under Nature, till 
thoroughly developed in all his manhood; and the 
grandeur of his better nature called out, and at the 
ripe age of eighty God chose him to lead His peo¬ 
ple out of bondage. God does not use boys of un¬ 
bounded conceit, to feed His lambs on gush and 
twaddle, simply because the lambs like it. He puts 
no unqualified person into office in His admini¬ 
strations; but selects men of ability who have been 
thorough^ tried and found competent. 

But the prophet looks back as well as forward, 
and not only reveals the things God has prepared 
for them that love Him, but also declares the deep 
things of God, by the spirit God has given him. 
But as said before, it is not done through the per¬ 
sonality of the spirit given to all; but comes 
through the apostles and prophets, whom God 
has chosen for that self-same purpose; to whom 
He has given the spirit of knowledge by inspir¬ 
ation direct. 


Prophets 


251 


This is clearly set forth, by Paul, in the third 
chapter of his epistle to the Ephesians; and per¬ 
haps we can do no better than to let Paul tell it 
in the following paraphrase: For this cause; the 
building of the habitation of God through the 
spirit—not a personal habitation of Christ; for He 
is gone into the heavens, to appear in the presence 
of God for the saints, where He is to remain till 
every foe is put under his feet. But while the 
anointed sits upon the throne the sanctified jews 
and gentiles, are built up into a temple “of’ living 
stones, for the habitation of God through the 
spirit. Christ having in His flesh, annulled the law 
of ordinances, of the flesh; that, of Jews and gen¬ 
tiles, He might, of the twain make one body, or 
temple, for the habitation of the spirit. 

This spirit does not come with its gifts, as 
prophesy, and knowledge, to all; but it is given to 
me, who am a prisoner on your account, to whom 
I was, by the grace of God, made an apostle and 
minister. 

To me, is this grace given, that by revelation 
He has made known to me the secret of redemp¬ 
tion, and I have written in a former epistle as also 
now, that when you read, you may have my 
knowledge of the things of Christ. This in the 
former ages was not known as it is now given to 
the sons of men through revelation to the holy 
apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit. 


252 


The King and His Kingdom 


For the purpose of conveying this knowledge 
to you, I am made a minister, (diakonos deacon) 
to declare it that thereby you may receive my 
knowledge, that through me He may strengthen 
the spirit ol Himself in you/ and that, by faith, 
Christ may dwell in your hearts, while you are 
established in love, being fully able to understand, 
with all saints, the length, depth and heighthofHis 
great love where with He loved us. 

Nothing can be plainer than that the knowl¬ 
edge of Christ and the plan of redemption through 
Him comes to the saints through the revelation of 
the Holy Spirit, to the apostles i nd prophets, and 
by them declared, and when understood it 
strengthens the spirit in our inner man; and when 
this word of God through the prophets and ap¬ 
pointed teacher, is taken into the heart of the 
hearers by faith—(for there is no other way to take 
teaching into the heart but by believing it—it is 
Christ dwelling in us through that word. Per¬ 
sonally Christ is in heaven and dwells in the heart 
of no man. But as the word of God, revealed by 
the holy apostles and prophets, through the Holy 
Spirit sent down from heaven, He is by faith—by 
believing it—taken into the heart of man; which is 
purified by that faith in the truth, by which a 
man is sanctified—and in the understanding of that 
word, he has the spirit of truth in the inner man; 
and that man is led by Christ in him—by the spirit 
or understanding of the truth. 


Prophets 


253 


If he misunderstands the truth he fails to re¬ 
ceive Paul’s knowledge of the mystery of the grace 
of God. 

And if he is led by that mis-understanding into 
error, he is deceived into unrighteousness—led by 
the devil, and possesses the spirit of the devil. 

Thus Paul says, to me, who am least among 
the saints is this favor shown, that I should to the 
gentiles preach the unsearchable riches of Christ 
among the nations, through the powerful oper¬ 
ation of His spirit in me, so that you, with all the 
saints, may be able to fully understand my knowl¬ 
edge of His surpassing love; and that, to all may 
be made known the authorities and government 
of heaven, according to the plan which God formed 
in Christ in ages agone. 

The foregoing could not be more fully sustained, 
than it is by the passage of scripture referred to. 
(Eph. 3: passim.) It is the vision of prophecy 
reaching into the ages, and bringing forth the 
riches of the wisdom of God through the revela¬ 
tion of the spirit to the saints. 

Let me hear suggest that the passage confirms 
the thought that the “Spirit of truth,” goes out 
from the church through the truth, as revealed in 
the working of the power of God—the powerful 
energy of God in the apostles and prophets. But 
this “powerful energy of God”; or energy of His 
power, is confered only as gifts to apostles and 


254 


The King and His Kingdom 


prophets, whom He has chosen. And these gifts 
continued only till the completion of the word— 
the fulness of Christ stature among men. (Eph. 
4.) For if Christ be the word of God as John 
affirms, the fulness of His stature would be the 
completeness of that word by revelation. 

There is no other way by which we can under¬ 
stand Eph. 4: 13, of coming “unto the measure 
of the stature of Christ’s fulness” through the offi¬ 
cials of the church—her ministry. 

It is not expected after God has made known 
to His saints all that He designed to give them for 
encouragement that He will specially endow men 
to repeat it. What was necessary for the early 
saints and their encouragement, is necessary for us. 
But we need no more than they, since therefore 
there is “one hope of our calling,” the one revela¬ 
tion is sufficient for all, if written in a book for the 
benefit oi all. 

He then who reads and understands the writ¬ 
ten word brings forth, from the same spirit, things 
new and old to the hearer. 

He prophesies by the same spirit; is led by the 
same spirit, and drinks in the hope and comfort by 
the same spirit. New inspiration is not wanting 
unless there are new revelations to make. If there 
are new revelations to be made, the fulness of hope 
and comfort was not given to the early saints and 
the dispensation was not complete to them; and 


Prophets 255 

will not be complete till all additions cease. Since 
what is needed for us was needed for them, noth¬ 
ing can now be added, without injustice to those 
who have gone before. 

Since prophesying has ceased, we, receiving the 
prophesies made by the spirit to the early saint by 
the prophets who spoke to them, are comforted by 
the same spirit in the same words. 

The hope which Paul had of putting off this 
tabernacle to enter into light immortal, is the same 
that gives me cheer. And the precious promises 
by which Peter was led to put on the Divine 
nature; (2 Pet. 1: 3-4 were the same that inspired 
Paul to cleans himself from all filthiness of the flesh 
and spirit, (2 Cor. 7: 1) worketh in me, and in all. 


CHAPTER XXII. 

EVANGELISTS. 

These are spoken of a hundred times in the 
New Testement, under the title of deacon. There 
was never a greater misnomer than the application 
of the name, deacon, to our helpers in the church. 
Nor can we conceive of a greater blunder, than 
making the deacons ol the New Testament, simply 
the almoners of the church, and committing to 
them the management of church finance, according 
to their wisdom, or lack of wisdom, without con¬ 
sultation with the ministers of spirtual things. It 
has, among us, destroyed harmony of action, be¬ 
tween the spiritual, and temporial affairs of the 
kingdom of heaven, which cannot be separated 
without injury to both. You cannot manage the 
temporal affairs of a church that lacks spirituality, 
and lives in covetuousness, and the membership 
spends their time and means, in rioting, and wont- 
onness,and fleshly frivolties. It would seem strange 
indeed, if the author of the Kingdom did not 
arrange a system of exchequer, under the control 
of those who administered the government. Who 
would expect ought, but that the apostles, as the 


256 


Evangelists 


257 


first ministers of the word, would, under God, 
arrange for the support of the church, and, estab¬ 
lish a system of finance under the reign of the 
Prince ol Peace. I have been unable to find the 
word evangelist, but three times in the New Testa¬ 
ment; though I think some have found four places 
where it occurs. The name, itself, explains the 
work of his calling as the bearer of good news; a 
proclaimer of glad tidings; a preacher of the gospel. 

Phillip, who was called one of the seven evan¬ 
gelists, went to Sameria and preached the word, 
and was sent to guide the Ennuch, and passed on 
to Azotus. Steven, one of the others, began his 
work immediately at Jerusalem; being full of the 
Holy Spirit, and faith. Luke says, Phillip was an 
evangelist, being one of the seven; and thus, if 
there is any force in the language at all, the seven 
appointed at Jerusalem (Acts 6;) were all evan¬ 
gelists, and were set apart for the work. 

Paul also says, that among the gifts of Jesus to 
man when he ascended, were evangelists; (Eph. 4: 
11) and he tells Timothy to do the work of an 
evangelist; (2 Timothy 4: 5) the work of a min¬ 
ister of the word. Strange, that an officer in the 
kingdom, with such onerous duties as some attach 
to our evangelists, should be spoken of but three 
times, and so little reference made to his work, 
further, than the name indicates; that of a preacher 
ol the gospel; a proclamer of good news. But there 


258 


The King and His Kingdom 


is another word which occurs quite frequently, and 
is also applied to the preacher of the word; and is 
almost a synomyn of “ uangelistees ” I refer 
to “ diakonos .” 

I find this word thirty times in the new testa¬ 
ment, and about one hundred times, if we count 
its different variation, as diakonia , diakoneo. All 
expressive of the work of the ministry. These dif¬ 
ferent words are five times rendered, deacon in our 
English version, when the usual rendering would 
more clearly express the work. 

Let us first notice some of the places where 
the word is rendered, deacon, after which we will 
seek the true meaning of the word in the scriptures 
of the new dispensation. 

1 Tim. 3: 1-16. Paul, speakiug of those who 
were to hold the secrets of the faith in a pure con¬ 
science-judgment of the mind, says, they must 
not be doubled tongued, nor given to much wine, 
nor greedy of base gain; who have first been proven, 
and having all proper qualifications, may minister, 
(i diakoneo .) But why is that simple word, so easily 
rendered unto English, translated with the long 
phrase, “use the office of a deacon. 

The same word in the 13th verse of the same 
chapter, is rendered the same way, when the usual 
rendering would simply be ministered , or served. 

We count the word 35 times, anditisinvaribly 
rendered “ministered” or “served” except in these 


Evangelists 259 

two instances—these awkward and uncalled for 
renderings. 

Paul saying he is “going tojerusalem, to minis¬ 
ter unto the saints ( diakoneo ) would be badly 
rendered, to use the office of a deacon to the saints. 

Also to the Corinthian he says. “Ye are the 
epistles of Christ, ministered by us.” The same 
word but properly rendered. Speaking of Onesi- 
mus, he says, “Whom I would have retained, that, 
in thy stead he might have U used the office of a 
deacon ” (diakoneo ) to me in the bonds of the gos¬ 
pel” (Phil. 13.) Such a rendering would be extra¬ 
vagant, where the simple word, ministered leaves 
the passage perfectly lucid. 

It seems only folly to go further, when it 
would be so natural, and so perfectly correct to 
say of the man found qualified; “Let him minister” 
which would harmonize with the other scriptures. 

The two other passages, are found in 1 Tim. 
3: 8-12, where it says, “a deacon must be the hus¬ 
band of one wife, grave, not doubled tongued.” 
Here the word, diakoneo , is in both passages, rend¬ 
ered deacon. By what authority, no man can tell. 
The transalation, if it be a translation, is arbitary 
beyond degree. To render it in these two places, 
minister, would be in harmony with the transla¬ 
tion of the word in other parts of the book. But 
if you name the person “deacon,” the meaning of 
the word shows the work of the deaconship. But 


260 The King and His Kingdom 

Paul explains the meaning of the word as he used 
it, in the next chapter of the same epistle, where, 
speaking of those that shall arise speaking lies in 
hypocricy, to draw away disciples after them, says, 
“If you put the brethren in rememberance of these 
things, thou shaltbe a good minister {diakoneo) of 
Jesus Christ.” (1 Tim. 4: 6). A deacon then* is a 
minister of Jesus Christ; whose business it is to 
preach the gospel to the world, and teach the 
church the things of the kingdom. 

Again Paul, still more fully defines the word, 
(diakonos), 1 ' If ye continue in the faith, grounded, 
and settled, and not moved away from the hope 
of the gospel, * * * * Whereof, I Paul, am made 
a diakonos .” (Col. 1: 23). A deacon then, is a 
minister of the gospel. 

In the 25th verse he says, “According to the 
dispensation of God, * * I am made a minister to 
you; to fulfill the word of God. Even the mystery 
which has been hid for ages, from generations; but 
is now made manifest to His saints.” That mys¬ 
tery, is that of Godliness, which is the story of the 
cross. (1 Tim. 3: 16.) Again for Archippus he 
says, to “take heed to the diakoneo which he re¬ 
ceived of the Lord!” (Col. 4: 17) And him, he 
classes, with the fellow soldiers or ministers (Phile. 
2.) But still more fully is the word defined by its 
use (Acts 6: 4) when the apostles asked help, that 
they might give themselves to prayer, and the min- 


2G1 


Evangelists 

istry ,(diakonia) of the word. This is proof positive 
that the deacon was a minister of the word. In 
the ministry of the flesh, tinder the Old economy, 
the word was used for the service of tables; but 
under the New, where the food is spiritual food, 
the service would be the “sincere milk ofthe word,’’ 
with which they were served. 

As in the one, the temple, and all its services 
were fleshy, and a type of the other, which was 
spiritual, and the instructions in it were of spiritual 
things. 

But Timothy was told to do the work of an 
evangelist; (2 Tim. 4: 5) and from that passage 
we learn he was an evangelist, and that the duties 
of an evangelist were to preach the word, and 
take the oversight of the converts—a proclamer of 
the gospel; and in the same connection he is told, 
to “make full proof of his deaconship;” ( diakonos ) 
using uangelistees and diakonos interchangabty. 
Nothing could be more plain, than, that the dea¬ 
con’s work pertained to the ministry; and the 
deacon was a proclaimer of the glad tidings. Much 
more could be added, from a fuller collation of 
scripture bearing upon the subject; but I think 
enough has been said to show that the deacon of 
the New Testament, was a minister of the word; 
and Paul addressed his Phillippian letter to the 
bishops and ministers of the church, as also to the 
saints. Among these ministers Paul classed him- 


262 


The King and His Kingdom 


self, Timothy, Tychicus, and others well known as 
ministers of the word; calling them “faithful diak- 
oneo” of the word, and of the Lord. 

In Eph. 4: where Paul catalogues church 
officers, there is no mention of the gift of deacons; 
but he says, apostles, evangelists, pastors and 
teachers, were for the work of the ministry. ( Diak- 
oneo —deaconship. 

Thus we learn this word is a generic term, 
and applies to the whole ministry of the church— 
to all who minister to spiritual things. Paul says, 
“The ministry (deaconship) which I received of the 
Lord Jesus, to testify, (declare) the gospel of the 
grace of God. (Acts 20: 24). Here the Greek word 
which is rendered “decaon” is translated ministry 
and is defined to mean, to declare the gospel of the 
grace of God” 

If this will not settle the dispute upon the 
office, and work of a deacon, an oracle direct from 
heaven would not. 

Once more Paul says. (1 Cor. 3: 5) that him¬ 
self, Peter, Apollos, etc. were deacons , or ministers 
by whom the brethren at Corinth believed. In the 
light of the scriptures, the whole talk of deacons 
as a special class of almoners in the church, is the 
variest nonsense. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

QUALIFICATIONS. 

The qualifications of those first chosen, must 
be the standard for all that shall afterwards be 
selected. 

Many in a church might possess the qualifica¬ 
tion; and not be chosen; as they were not called to 
the work, till wanted by the work; and not until 
the work had become too burdensome for the 
apostles did they call in assistance. With the be¬ 
ginning of the church, the apostles were sufficient 
for the whole work of the ministry; but when the 
church suddenly grew from 120 to 3100, it required 
great activity on the part of the twelve to preach 
the word, and instruct the new converts, and take 
charge of moneys laid at their feet, and make 
distribution properly among all. But with 5000 
more added in a few days to the number, it was 
found impossible to do all the work necessary; but 
with a daily increase, till they were multiplied by 
multitudes being added, they were obliged to call 
for help. But better no man, than the wrong 
man; and therefore the multitude was called to- 


263 


264 


The King and His Kingdom 


gether, and a statement of the case was made, and 
the qualifications of the men, made known. 

By the apostles it was decided that seven were 
needed. I doubt not but seventy could have been 
found qualified, but seven only were called for. 
The number was decided by the ministry, and not 
by the multitude. The qualifications, only, were 
passed upon by the multitude of the disciples. 
These were 1st “honest report;’’ or reputation for 
honesty. Not one who has not a reputation for 
dishonesty. The reputation must be positive, not 
negative. 

He must have a reputation, and it must be of 
the right kind. Not one, of whom they had never 
heard anything fyad, but he must have a name for 
good. Not only free from a blemish upon his char¬ 
acter, but he must be a man of tried intregrity. 

II. “Full of the Holy Spirit,” or, have a 
knowledge of the things of God. Not a gushing, 
rampant, exuberant spirit; but one in which the 
■word of God was prominent; who was filled with 
it, and understood it. As has been shown, no 
man has the Holy Spirit without the word of God; 
and every man who has the word, and under¬ 
stands it, has the Holy Spirit; the spirit of wisdom 
and knowledge of God; for in him the word of God 
dwells; and he has had a renewal of his mind; (Ro. 
12: 2) and if that enters into his affections as 
the treasure of his heart, it will bring about 
that which is good. A man may have spirit 


Qualifications 


265 


enough; and he may have a good spirit; but 
he has not the Holy Spirit without the knowl¬ 
edge of God’s word, by which God’s wisdom, 
and knowledge are revealed. He who has the 
Holy Spirit has that knowledge, and he who 
has the knowledge, has the spirit of God. That 
knowledge either comes as a direct miraculous 
gift, or it comes from the word of God. While in 
the understanding alone , it does not change the 
life—‘ ‘convert the soul;” as it is said “Many be¬ 
lieved on Him of the Pherisees, but did not con¬ 
fess Him; because they loved the praises of men 
more than the praises of God; and found they 
would be shut out of the synagogue. 

Jesus says it is out of the goo^l treasures of the 
heart, the good man, brings forth good things. 
And Paul says, from the heart man believes unto 
righteousness, or when by faith he takes the word 
of God unto his heart, he does righteously. With 
the Holy Spirit in the mind, man knows the things 
of God, or he cannot minister them. But things 
of God are set forth in the word of God, and if he 
is a minister of the word, he must know the word. 
The word of God comes by the Holy Spirit, and if 
he has the Ploly Spirit, he will have, and know the 
word of God. If he preaches the word, he must 
know the word, or he cannot teach it to others. 
“Whoever is filled with the Holy Spirit speaks the 
word.” (John 3: 34). He cannot be full of the 


266 


The King and His Kingdom 


Holy Spirit without faith, for as I have shown, 
by faith he takes the words, and thoughts of God 
into the mind—the inner man; for whatsoever he 
does not believe he rejects. Therefore he that is 
filled with the Spirit, must be a man of faith. 

III. “Of wisdom.” Not only must he know; 
but he must have discretion in applying it. 

In making selection they could find men upon 
whom the apostles had personally laid hand, who 
was full of the Spirit, and could speak the word 
fluently; but it might have been mechanically; but 
the man of faith believes the word—the whole 
word. Faith is a reception of that word into the 
mind or spirit, till it becomes a part of us—of our 
thoughts, judgment, conscience, wisdom, right¬ 
eousness, and sanctification; going out in all the 
avenues of life. Hence all these qualifications are 
responded to in the faith, which makes the word of 
God the light to our inward man. 

The assistance the apostles had before received, 
were from “help” upon whom they had laid hands, 
imparting to one the gift of healing, to another 
prophesy, to another tongues, etc.: (1 Cor. 12:) 
but now they call for men possessing all these, 
with a good reputation. All were tried prepara¬ 
tory to an official appointment to the work of the 
ministry. Paul admonishes Timothy to lay hands 
hastily on no one. (1 Tim. 5: 22) “Let them 
first be proved,” so they may be selected accord¬ 
ing to their qualifications. 


Qualifications 


267 


Paul enlarges somewhat upon the qualifica¬ 
tions, saying, they must be grave, not double- 
tongued, not given to wine, and the husband of 
one wife, ruling well their children, holding the mys¬ 
tery of the faith in a pure conscience; whose wives 
are grave, sober, faithful and not slanderers. Let 
them first be proven; then let them minister, being 
found blameless. (1 Tim. 3: 10). 

The call was upon the multitude of disciples, 
to find such men. The multitude was not to ap¬ 
point them. They were simply to testify to their 
character, with the required qualifications before 
them. 

These men were known to the multitude from 
the begnning; having been with the apostles, and 
were known by those “who continued steadfastly 
in the apostles’ teaching, breaking bread from 
house to house, and eating their meats with glad¬ 
ness,” 

From those most efficient in the work, seven 
were selected. Not elected ; but testified of. A very 
small majority could have defeated their appoint¬ 
ment. Had a dozen of that multitude of disciples, 
reaching far into the thousands, testified against 
them, they could not have been appointed; but the 
multitude testified that these seven possessed the 
required qualifications; and the apostles laid hands 
on them and formally set them apart to the min¬ 
istry. 


268 The King and His Kingdom 

These were the first officials appointed after 
the apostles; and Luke calls them evangelists. In 
the passage which tells of their appointment, their 
work is described, as, taking a part of apostolic 
burdens, which, as the multitude of disciples in¬ 
creased, they were unable to perform. The apostles 
were sent to preach, as well as bear testimony 
(Matt. 22: 18) of the life, and character of their 
Lord. 

To their apostleship, was added the work of 
evangelization, (Mark 16: 16) which made them 
ministers, ( diakonos ) of the word. As such it 
was theirs to instruct the disciples, as well as to 
proselyte the aliens. The laws of the kingdom 
were to be taught, and their workings shown to 
the disciples. (Matt. 28: 19.) 

To do this it was necessary that those who 
brought them into the kingdom, and were them¬ 
selves instructed in the laws, should set them in 
order for church work, under the laws of the King. 
Proficiency in the work, must be attained through 
proficiency in the instruction. 

With Jesus on the throne as King of the king¬ 
dom; with the apostles acting under Him, it would 
be passing strange if the new converts, called bv 
the apostle, ‘‘babes in Christ,” that must be ‘‘fed 
with the milk of the word, that they may grow 
thereby”; should be turned loose, to hunt some 
foster mother whose food they might prefer. Com- 


Qualifications 


269 


ing right from carnal associations, it would be 
strange indeed if they did not select, what would 
be the most pleasing to their carnal, instead of 
spiritual, enjoyments. They would most likely 
make the selection of ministers from their favorites, 
without contemplating their qualifications for the 
spiritual culture of their hearers. (1 Cor. 3: 4.) 
Warm “toddy,” sweetened with “honey,” and a 
supply of “taffy,” would be to such, the sincere 
milk they desired. It may be enjoyable to the 
young, and to some who are older, and should be 
able for strong meats; but it is far from the nour¬ 
ishment production of growth in grace and knowl¬ 
edge. It was therefore proper that the daily 
ministrations of the word to the disciples, being 
organized for aggressive work as soldiers, while in 
the camp of instruction at Jerusalem, should be 
carefully looked after by the apostles; and a per¬ 
sonal supervision given to the work. The whole 
labor must necessarily rest upon them, till others 
are qualified to assist. 

It took 3V2 years, under the personal instruc¬ 
tion of the Master, to fit the apostles for their 
work. They might have been fluent talkers at the 
beginning, when He first sent them forth; but it is 
one thing to talk, and another thing to talk right. 
It is one thing to preach, and another thing 
to preach the word. Our colleges are sending 
out numbers of young preachers, who preach 


270 


The King and His Kingdom 


almost every thing but the word. These young 
disciples, beginners, babes, must be taught the 
word, by those qualified; and put into their 
proper places as organs of the body of Christ, 
and members one of another, by men appointed 
of God, and themselves well taught in the things 
pertaining to the kingdom. Who could take 
charge of all this but the apostles? endowed with 
the Holy Spirit,and sent forth by the King, upon 
the throne. 

It is not strange that the twelve took charge 
of the entire management of the affairs of the 
multitude of disciples; in both spiritual and tem¬ 
poral things; and to them was the money brought 
from the sale of possessions; and distribution was 
by them made to each as he had need. (Acts 
4: 33-37.) 

But as the multitude increased so rapidly from 
120, or 500, to 3,000, 8,000, a multitude added, 
and then multiplied, and all to be fed from a com¬ 
mon fund, managed by the apostles; who must 
also sound out the word. The work must become 
exceedingly burdensome to those who carried the 
whole ministry of the church, both temporal and 
spiritual; while teaching those brought into dis- 
cipleship under their preaching. With such a bur¬ 
den, no wonder some would feel themselves neg¬ 
lected in the daily ministrations. To make that 
service proper, the time of the twelve must be so 


Qualifications 


271 


occupied that there would be little opportunity 
for sounding out the word; which work should not 
*‘he 7e/t” to serve tables. To avoid neglect in any 
department of legitimate work, assistance to per¬ 
form that part, not apostolic, was called for. The 
testimony of the apostles could not be trans¬ 
ferred to others. You can have no successor of a 
witness. As the Holy Spirit was sent to them at 
the beginning, it could be conferred on none, ex¬ 
cept by those to whom it was sent—by those who 
possessed it. But the proclamation of the word 
must, if it continues after the death of the apos¬ 
tles, be given into other hands; as also the care of 
the disciples. 

In the beginning when the number of disciples 
was small, the twelve were sufficient to fulfill the 
whole work; but as the number increased, and the 
•‘ecc/esfa” was to be organized, the apostles, guid¬ 
ed by the Holy Spirit, began the organization by 
appointing evangelists in proper manner; and their 
work as such, at once began. Their work was to 
proclaim the good news, and to look after the 
spiritual and temporal affairs of the disciples. 
They were to do, what the apostles were to do, 
except, as witnesses of Jesus. 

No power on earth could make them witnesses. 
Nothing but the descent of Jesus from the heavens, 
as in the case of Paul, could make an apostle—a 
witness. Their testimony must fill the world, as 


272 The King and His Kingdom 

they could have no successor. But the preaching 
of the gospel must continue while the earth lasts, 
and others must be appointed to take their work 
as evangelists. 

What they did as such, will be continued 
through their successors, in the work. The quali¬ 
fications of the seven, eminently fitted them for 
the work to be performed, by the apostles, in addi¬ 
tion to testifying of Jesus, and the bestowal of the 
Holy Spirit; viz, the proclamation of the word, 
and the care of the disciples. 

By some, they are called almoners of the church, 
because they took charge of the tables; but what¬ 
ever their service, it is certain they were evangel¬ 
ists, or ministers of the word, as Luke declares. 
(Acts 21: 8.) They immediately engaged in the 
work of proclaiming good news, and the case 
shows that the work of an evangelist is to look 
after the temporal affairs of the church, as a part 
of his calling. 

Or if they were deacons, the work of a deacon 
is to proclaim the gospel, in connection with his 
care of the finances of the church. Call them what 
you will, we find the proclamation of the word, 
and the service of tables, were both embodied in 
the same office; whether performed by apostles as 
evangelists, or others chosen to assist in the work. 

We find also, that besides caring for the divis¬ 
ion of goods, according as each had need, they at 


Qualifications 273 

once engaged actively, in the preaching of the 
word. 

That a ( diakonos ) minister of the church, is a 
proclaimer of the word, is very plain from apos¬ 
tolic teaching; and no sepcrate office, as almoner, 
to look after the temporalities of the church, was 
thought of in those days. That there were helps in 
the church, under the direction of the properly ap¬ 
pointed officials, is clearly set forth in 1 Cor. 12. 
That they were assistants in the work, under the 
duly appointed officiary, and were with them 
in counsel, and assisted in all work to which they 
were sent; as in visiting the sick, guiding the 
stumbling, helping the feeble, instructing the erring, 
and exhorting the straying, etc., etc.; but the work 
of the deaconship is performed by apostles, evan¬ 
gelist, pastors, and teachers, (Eph. 4: 12) who 
were gifts from Christ, not chosen of men, for that 
work. 

So Paul when addressing the officiary of the 
church at Phillippi, names them as bishops and 
ministers. How unscriptural, and superfluous, 
and greatly in the way, is that class among us, 
known as almoners, under the mis-nomer of deacon, 
who are usually unqualified for a work which re¬ 
quires the greatest wisdom, and prudence, experi¬ 
ence, foresight, and spirituality, of any in the church. 
Paul says, (1 Cor. 3: 5) that Paul, Apollos, and 
Cephas, were deacons ( diakonos ) by whom they 


274 The King and His Kingdom 

believed; which forever settles the question of the 
translation of the word; and declares the work of 
the office. As also (2 Cor. 3: 6) he declares, the 
apostles were deacons, ( diakonos ,) of the New 
Testament. 

Thus the work of the ministry was not only to 
preach; but also to take the oversight of the 
temporal affairs of the church; calling to their 
assistance, such help as may be needed; and to in¬ 
struct the new converts he has made; and also, to 
proclaim the gospel to the world; always teach¬ 
ing the things pertaining to the kingdom of 
heaven, and edifying the body of Christ. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

APPOINTING EVANGELISTS. 

We have two or three examples of the appoint¬ 
ment of evangelists, in the Sacred Oracles, to which 
we wish to call especial attention. The first is the 
one mention in Acts VI; where seven ministers, or 
evangelists, were appointed by the apostles under 
the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Before any ap¬ 
pointment was made, it was first found they were 
needed; and this was ascertained by those engaged 
in the work. The Holy Spirit gave a description 
of the men that were needed; and the multitude 
found the men, possessing the required qualifica¬ 
tions. 

Had they found forty well qualified, when 
seven only are wanted; the manner of making a 
choice of seven out of the forty, is shown in Acts 1, 
where they cast lots to know which God had 
chosen. But none could be placed in the list, with¬ 
out the qualifications required. If not in perfec¬ 
tion, it must be in prominence. God does not re¬ 
quire perfection, but degree; with a tendency in 
that direction. The testimony, was by the multi¬ 
tude of the disciples. Not of some little band lo- 

275 


276 


The King and His Kingdom 


cated in some far off* dismal retreat. The testi¬ 
mony was acquiesed in, by the whole multitude. 
Had a half dozen who were acquainted with 
Nicholas, testified that he was given to heresy, and 
would soon become the leader of the Nicolaitans, 
whose doctrine God hated, he would have been 
rejected. Half a dozen testifying against one, as 
not having the qualifications, would be a majority, 
from a spiritual standpoint, over a thousand who 
knew them not. It was not votes, but testimony 
that was called for; and a secret fault, known to 
two witnesses, would debar one from office, with 
thousands, not knowing these faults, voting for 
him. The difference is that of a minority rule, 
while a vote is a majority rule. Testimony re¬ 
quires but few out of many, but these few who 
know what they affirm, are far above the multi¬ 
tude who know nothing; but simply acts from 
momentary impulse, or prejudice. There is a wide 
difference, in being based on intelligence, and a 
knowledge of the facts; and being led by blind 
favoritism, that Paul calls carnality. How many 
they found qualified I know not; nor do I know if it 
was necessary to resort to lots to decide between 
rivals; but I do know such a resort would be 
proper. Nor do I know what kind of an examin¬ 
ation the candidates passed through; or how many 
were talked of that would not pass; but I do know 
that the multitude brought forward men well 


Appointing Evangelists 


277 


qualified, or they failed in the examination. The 
difference between my brethren and the Baptists, 
is, one baptizes on the ground of qualifications 
catalogued by the Holy Spirit; while the other 
votes if they may be received to that rite. Having 
selected from the standpoint of their qualifications 
as catalogued by the Holy Spirit, no question of 
“Who are you for?” could arise; and no carnality be 
engendered. The whole proceedings were spiritual. 
Being thus selected they were placed before the 
apostles, who were acting as the evangelists of 
the church, and the only ones up to that time; and 
were formally set apart to their work, “by prayer/’ 
always in order, “and fasting,’’ very appropriate, 
“and the imposition of hands.” It was thus made 
an epoch in their lives. A new current of events 
was to follow. 

Like baptism to a believer it brought them in¬ 
to a new relation, and started them in a new life- 
work. It was thus the seven started out, clothed 
with the authority of church officials, to do the 
work, under Christ, assigned to them. 

The appointment was made by the apostles, 
and the multitude of disciples accepted them, as 
gifts, from Him who was glorified. 

Notice also, that glibness of speech was not 
among the qualifications. Neither was a literary 
style required. They were to go forth to tell the 
story of the Christ to the understanding of the 


278 The King and His Kingdom 

people. The attraction was not to be in the style 
of the preacher; but in the story he told. We have 
among us so many, who are remarkable, not so 
much for being filled with the Holy Spirit; as for 
being graceful and cultured in style. 

God save the church from such. Another case of 
appointment is found Acts 13. “There were in 
the church at Antioch, certain prophets, and teach¬ 
ers, as Barnabas, and Simeon, and Niger, and 
Lucius, and Manaen. As they ministered, the 
Holy Spirit said, seperate me Saul, and Barnabas 
for the work to which I have called them.” How 
the Holy Spirit “said,” is not related; but it is 
certain he said it. It did not seem to impress all, 
that God had a work for Barnabas, and Saul; and 
they had better be sent forth with the form of 
ordination; but the spirit spoke. He “said” seper¬ 
ate me Paul and Barnabas. Had he declared the 
qualifications required, and Saul and Barnabas 
only of the five possessed these qualifications, it 
would have been the same as calling the names. 

But if there were five, and all had the qualifi¬ 
cations of evangelists, this was a direct call from 
the Holy Spirit; and shows how God calls. 

Not by impressions upon the impulses, but by 
words spoken; as in the case of the calling of 
Samuel, (1 Sam. 3:) and of Moses. (Ex. 3.) Had 
God said, “seperate me, two out of the five,” they 
must have resorted to lots, to have found which 


Appointing Evangelists 


279 


two God would appoint. God never calls one un¬ 
qualified. He must first be qualified; as was 
Moses, who studied 40 years in Egypt, and then 40 
years from Nature, amid the mountains of Horeb, 
until fully ripe; as a scholar, in study and experi¬ 
ence, when God called him to His ministry. 

“The spirit said,” Seperate Saul and Barnabas. 
In response to the command they fasted, and 
prayed, and laid their hands on them, and sent 
them away. 

This shows the form of seperating men, to a 
work under God. It was not to impart to them 
any gifts, because they already possessed them; 
but it was a solemn sanctification, to the work; 
as baptism is to the service of Christ. 

A man baptized, is sanctified to the work of 
the Lord, and he cannot go back with honor; so a. 
man upon whom hands have been officially laid,, 
is set apart, sanctified, to the ministry, and he 
cannot go back from that covenant with God, 
without violating the most solemn obligation. 

“So then being sent forth by the Holy Spirit 
they departed unto Selicia. ,, They were sent by 
the Holy Spirit, when sent by his command. What 
ever is done under the command, is done by the 
Holy Spirit. 

When we refuse to obey, we resist the Holy 
Spirit. This fully explains how we are led by the 
Spirit. Had the spirit pointed out the qualifica- 


280 The King and His Kingdom 

tions, the leading would have been the same as if 
he had called the name. All that is necessary is to 
clearly express what is required, and describe it 
so as to be known. He that is called of the spirit, 
hears his voice—hears what he says. 

Jesus says, “I call my sheep and they hear my 
voice, and come unto me.” (John 10.) So one is 
sent by the Holy Spirit, when he hears his voice, 
and responds to the call—the command. 

He who resists the law resists the Holy Spirit. 
He who obeys the law is led by the spirit. 

The third case is at Derbe and Lvstra. “Paul 
found a young disciple that he would have go forth 
with him.” (Acts XYI.) 

We do not read how he found him; for when 
God once explains a work, and how it is to be 
done, He refers to the manner no more. With 
God once telling, is enough for every loyal subject. 
He called Abraham only once; and only once tried 
him. He sent Moses on the same mission, once 
only. Jonah was sent once, and disobeyed and 
most severely was he punished. Pie repented, and 
prayed; and God heard his prayer, and gave him 
another chance. But there was no change in the 
command. Simply a second trial, at the same 
thing. 

“The word of the Lord came to him the sec¬ 
ond time.” He did not impress him with the 
Holy Spirit, so he felt like going. 


Appointing Evangelists 


281 


It was the punishment He impressed him with, 
till he felt like going. God spoke to him, as He 
did to the fish. He did not make the fish feel sick 
a little ; but “The Lord spoke unto the fish.” 

So in this case, God had given the character of 
evangelists once, and that was sufficient. The 
multitude of disciples testified to their reputation. 
Not some little hand, bringing forth some pet. So 
when Paul would take Timothy, he must not 
ignore the qualification, called for by the Holy 
Spirit; and we read “The church at Iconium 
thought he would make a good preacher.” 

No! It was the church at Derbe proposed that 
Paul take him along, and see what he could make 
of him. No! Some brethren from Lystra said he 
was going to make a fine speaker. No! The 
church at Derbe asked Paul to come over and or¬ 
dain him for them. No! For shame on our methods! 
Paul was at Derbe, and found a young disciple full 
of the Holy Spirit; for from his mother he had 
been taught the scriptures given by inspiration of 
the Holy Spirit, and he was full of their knowl¬ 
edge; as Paul could readily behold, and the breth¬ 
ren at Derbe could testify. But Paul stopped not 
there. It was not one little band, somewhere, 
that must give the important evidence. Many 
young preachers do fairly well at home; but away 
from home they soon forget, and loose their 
reputation. Here, the brethren from surrounding 


282 


The King and His Kingdom 


cities are enquired of, and the brethren of Lystra, 
and Iconium, bring up a good report. The exam¬ 
ination seems to be the same as was that of the 
seven at Jerusalem. 

Timothy is not taken off by Paul to make a 
reputation. His reputation was already made at 
home; and it was good. He was known, before 
entrusted with such sacred responsibilities, as 
preaching the gospel of God, which if an angel 
preach improperly, he shall be accursed. It is 
not all preaching that saves. It is the gospel 
only; and it must be the gospel, or the con¬ 
verts will be in the same lost condition after con¬ 
version as before. Everything that can talk is not 
an evangelist, self appointed, and responsible no¬ 
where and to no one. 

Balaam’s ass was to him an evangel, be¬ 
cause he preached to him the word of the Lord; 
but the loud braying of every like animal is not 
evangelistic work; though some may hurry to 
some fold on account of it. 

Like the seven at Jerusalem, his reputation 
was carefully considered. Not from a few in “Hog 
Hollow;” but the multitude of brethren, from 
three cities. None testified against him, or the 
minority vote would have carried. Like the others 
he was chosen, not by vote of the majority, but by 
the witness of the minority. 


Appointing Evangelists 


283 


Nothing is said of the manner of his appoint¬ 
ment. Once explained that is sufficient. Paul in¬ 
cidentally refers to it, and says, that on him, was 
laid the hands of the eldership. This was the offi¬ 
cial recognition of his appointment. 

But that he might be filled with the Holy 
Spirit, so as to be competent to fully preach the 
word of God; Paul laid apostolic hands on him, 
imparting to him the personality of the Spirit, 
with ability to preach the word. 

These three cases are clear cut, and sufficient 
for all the instruction needed. To be sent by the 
Holy Spirit to preach the word, he must be suffi¬ 
ciently full of the spirit of God, and of truth, to 
properly understand, and faithfully, and fully 
preach it. He must have wisdom enough to do it 
properly, and with discretion; and he must have 
been proven long enough to have made a reputation 
—a good reputation—an honest reputation. See 
the character Paul demanded a deacon (diakonos 
minister) to have, in his epistle to Timothy, and 
Titus. He must have Holy Spirit enough to under¬ 
stand the word, and preach it; and faith enough 
to believe it. Not filled with infidel criticisms; the 
spirit of evolution and kindred things, instead of 
the word of God. 

If his head, and heart, are both full of the word 
of God, he will have Holy Spirit enough; and if he 
is filled with the spirit of God, he will be able to 


284 The King and His Kingdom 

preach the word, and to preach it correctly. If 
like Apollos who was an eloquent preacher, but 
he knew no baptism but John’s; so a man know¬ 
ing no word but the Koran; however pious he may 
appear before Allah, and how eloquent he may 
speak, and how devoted he may seem, he has no 
Holy Spirit, and the converts he may have, will 
all be Mohammedans. None to ]esus Christ. And 
all will have the spirit of Mohammed. 

The belief and study of the Koran will give him 
the spirit of Mohammedism; the same as the belief 
and study of the Sacred Oracles, will give him the 
spirit of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is not the 
author of gush, and twaddle. It produces the 
power of God to salvation, which is the gospel of 
Christ, (Ro. 1: 16). Tricks, and chicanery, and 
the manipulation of an audience, will often bring 
additions to the church from mere excitment, but 
nothing but the gospel of the Son of God will save 
the soul, and bring men into the kingdom of 
heaven. 


CHAPTER XXV. 

DUTIES OF EVANGELISTS. 

Having shown that an evangelist is an or¬ 
dained preacher, a teacher of those to whom he is 
sent —not called ; (Tit. 1:5) His work is to preach; 
but that is not all. A man can preach, and preach 
Mohammedanism, or Mormonism, Buddhism, or 
anything else. That does not make him a (diak- 
onos) deacon of the church of Jesus Christ. Paul 
says, “I thank Jesus Christ our Lord who has en¬ 
abled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting 
me into the deaconship’ , —ministry. (1 Tim. 1: 12 
Col. 1: 25 and 2 Cor. 3: 6 and 41.) 

To be put into the ministry of Jesus Christ, is 
to minister the gospel—the word of God. He is to 
preach the word—not about the word. Paul 
makes a most solemn charge to Timothy, before 
God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge 
the living and the dead, to “preach the word.” 
Not always pleasantly; but he shall reprove, re¬ 
buke and exhort, with patience and long-suffering. 
(2 Tim. 4: 1). An example of faithful preaching is 
found in the evangelist Stevens, at Jeruselem; re¬ 
corded in Acts VII. 


285 


286 The King and His Kingdom 

That we make no mistake in the study of the 
work and duties of the evangelist; we must keep 
the thought always before us, that the evangelist 
is a minister—( diakonos ) adeacon. “Do the work 
of an evangelist; make full proof of thy deacon- 
ship”—ministery (2 Tim, 4: 5). Again Paul says 
Timothy, our brother, and ( diakonos ) minister of 
God. (1 Thess. 3: 2). He was a fellow laborer 
with Paul, and Jason, and Sosopator, and Lucius, 
(Ro. 16: 21). Working the work of the Lord, as 
did Paul, (1 Cor. 16: 10). Preaching Jesus Christ 
with Silvanus, and Paul; (2 Cor. 1: 19) and Paul 
says, God put him into the ministry—deaconship. 

We find Barnabas and Saul, after they were 
sent out by their fellow ministers, from Antioch, 
(Acts. 13: 1) pass through many places, preach¬ 
ing to the world, and teaching the saints, the word 
of God; came back to Jerusalem to the council, 
where they were received by the apostles and eld¬ 
ers; who came together to consider the matter of 
asking the gentiles to be circumcised, and keep the 
laws of Moses. 

It was there the matter was settled, not by a 
new revelation; but from a careful consideration 
of the revelation already made. Since Peter says, 
the scriptures are of no private interpretation; we 
from this, may leam how a proper interpetation 
of scripture may be obtained. Those set apart to 
teach the word, led by this precedent, authorized 


Duties of Evangelists 


287 


to establish and decide upon what the revelation 
of God teaches; and the decision thus made goes 
out to the churches as “ decrees ” and were carried 
by men sent, as were Bernabas and Saul. Both 
are called apostles, and were sent forth by the 
council to carry the “ decree ” abroad. No one man 
has a right to interpret revelation to suit himself, 
and act according to his private interpretation. 
Before this interpretation is settled, it must be thor¬ 
oughly canvassed by the appointed teachers in the 
church. Questions of difference, should not be 
hushed up, by some heretical newspaper editor, 
who will only publish and send to the brethren his 
side, in articles by his friends, and what he cannot 
answer give to the waste basket; and carry his 
views to the saints as the decrees of the church; 
published in what he is pleased to call the church 
paper. We have among us some such “papers” 
growing, with no tribunal to call a halt, and we 
will soon have much Jieresy growing out of their 
pernicious doctrines. Such was the council at Jer¬ 
usalem where decisions were made, and sent forth 
as decrees to the saints; (Acts 15; 1-18 and 16: 4) 
for a better knowledge of revelation. 

From this council we infer that it is the prov¬ 
ince of bishops, and ministers, to settle the ques¬ 
tions that arise; and will always arise among the 
saints. We also learn, that the standard authority 
in all these assemblies, is the revelation of the Holy 


288 The King and His Kingdom 

Spirit, which should always be studied with care. 
And also that at such councils “much disputation ” 
is in order. 

Saul said to Barnabas “let us go again and 
visit our brethren in every city (kata pasan polin) 
—where we have preached the word of the Lord, 
and see how they do.’’ (Acts 15: 36). 

Beginning at Antioch Paul who took Silas 
and journeyed through Syria and Selicia, confirm¬ 
ing the churches, and teaching the word of the 
Lord. (Acts 15: 35.) 

From this we learn the work of a minister, is 
to teach and preach the word of the Lord. Not to 
make popular speeches to please the people; 
while withholding the bread of life. If a man 
cannot preach the word of the Lord, he is not 
filled with the Holy Spirit. I care not how fluent 
his speech, or literary his essays, or how popular 
his style, or captivating his oratory, he cannot be 
legally appointed an evangelist. 

I had as soon baptise a babe, as to assist in 
laying hands on such an one. Too many unqual¬ 
ified have thus been thrown upon the churches. 
Brethren sending out such messenger to the churches 
are responsible for what they preach. If they 
abide not in the decrees of the council, and preach 
not the word of the Lord as understood by 
the council, the council should admonish them 
against their heresy; and if they repent not, try 


289 


Duties of Evangelists 

them and give them over to Satan, that they may 
learn not to blaspheme. (1 Tim. 1: 20). Paul re¬ 
fers to some such case in his letter to Timothy; 
showing how such should be treated. As Hymen- 
eus and Philetus, who erred concerning the res- 
urection; (II Tim. 2: 17-18). and Alexander 
whom he delivered over to satin till they learned 
not to blasphemy (1 Tim. 1: 20). This was not 
the work of some church, the half of whom had 
been brought into sympathy with the preacher 
through his blasphemous teachings. Such cannot 
be disciplined by the church, because, (1) they 
were not sent out by any one church; but by the 
prophets and teachers—ministers of the Lord Jesus 
Christ; who had themselves been properly exam¬ 
ined, and set apart to the work from certain scrip¬ 
tural qualifications found in them. (2) These 
qualifications had not been witnessed by one 
church only; but were testified to by the multitude 
of disciples, from several cities. When the multi¬ 
tude of saints, testify that they no longer posess 
the qualifications; it is the business of those who 
sent them, to recall them. Base men should not 
be permitted to stand in the way of those who 
proclaim the word, with the annointing of their 
ordination upon them. 

Another case is that of Diotrephes, of whom 
John wrote in his epistle to Gaius, who oved to 
have the preeminance, and ruled the little inde- 


290 


The King and His Kingdom 


pendent church; that was not independent of the 
rule of one man, against all other ministers; prat¬ 
ing against them with malicious words, and cast¬ 
ing those out of the church, who would receive 
them. John threatens that when he comes, he 
will remember his deeds. It appears this man, had 
set up his authory over the brethren where he was 
located; and was lording over God’s heritage. It 
looks as if they were advocating church independ¬ 
ence. 

An evangelist is sent out from the testimony of 
the whole church—the body of Jesus Christ; and 
should be a representative of the character 
of that body, wherever he goes; and carries 
the endorsement, and approval, of that body 
—of his brethren, everywhere; while acting 
under the appointments of evangelist. 

When he forfeits that approval he should be 
made to surrender the endorsement, he has re¬ 
ceived from his co-laborers. The most foolish 
thing in our history, is that the little church down 
in some back-woods hollow, can send out some 
blasphemous and ungodly minister, to disgrace 
the whole church with his ignorance of the gospel, 
and follies of life, with no way by which his mouth 
may be stopped, and the shame of his proceeding 
taken from the saints of the most high. 

Those who appointed him from the testimony 
of the multitude to his qualifications, should stop 


Duties of Evangelists 291 

him, when the brethren testify to the want of those 
qualifications. 

There is but one body of our Lord—the one 
church of the first born, whose names are written 
in heaven, and that church has no sisters. It is 
the bride of the Lamb—the Lord Jesus Christ. My 
Lord is not a polygamist. Unlike Jacob, who mar¬ 
ried the whole family of Laban’s daughters, and 
then took on their housemaids; he has but one 
bride. All churches not of Christ are of the devil. 
Such are not even cousins. Prayers for “our sis¬ 
ter churches” is an acknowledgement that we are 
one of the others, and not of Christ’s body which 
is unique. It may indicate “charity”—love for 
the sects but not love for Christ. 

Such a plea indicate much charity for the devil¬ 
ish; but not much for the Lord. 

The evangelist is a gift not to a church, nor 
the church; but to men everywhere; (Eph. 4:) and 
to men everywhere he is sent. No cluster of mem¬ 
bers organized into a hand, or foot, can say to the 
eyes, or tongue, “We have no need of you.” Nor 
can the hand, or foot organized as a cluster of 
members, say, “I am not of the body. It is con¬ 
nected to the body through other cluster, as the 
arm or the leg; and if you sever the connection, 
the hand or foot will surely die. It is severed from 
the body, in which the spirit dwells. The act 
which makes it independent cuts it off from the 


292 


The King and His Kingdom 


temple of the living God. Every schism of the 
church forms anindependenebody, in which dwells, 
not the spirit of Christ, but the spirit of anti- 
Christ, The evangelist is as much an officer of 
the whole church, as are the apostles and prophets. 

All are in their place, in the church, became 
filled with the Holy Spirit, and sent of God, to do 
the work assigned them. As the apostles and 
prophets, were also evangelists, and performed the 
work of such, and were given to men for the work 
of the ministry; ( deaconship ), so was the evangel¬ 
ists; and his work was commensurate with the 
work done by the apostles as evangelists. The 
special work of an apostle, being to testify to 
what he had seen, and of the things in the which 
Christ appeared to him; and the work of a prophet 
is to declare the things especially revealed to him; 
but both are also teachers of the word, and in¬ 
structors of the saints; which were the work of an 
evangelist; (2 Tim. 4: 1-8) given in connection 
with their other duties; “Go preach the gospel to 
every creature; ,, was their commission, and meant 
to evangelize. “You shall testify of me,” meant to 
witness for Christ. The gifts of the Holy Spirit, 
were, that they might do it correctly; and writing 
out accurately what they did, and the way they 
did it, shows us how we too may be led by the 
Holy Spirit. 


Duties of Evangelists 


293 


If they were led by the spirit, and we follow 
them, we are led by the same spirit. As Paul, and 
Barnabas were responsible to the apostles and 
elders, and went up to Jerusalem for the council to 
consider the matter, so are all evangelists respon¬ 
sible to their peers, and by them, should be made 
accountable for their teaching. I have known one 
“Christian Evangelist” responsible to nobody, 
and for nothing. He is now advocating impressed 
guidance; instead of expressed leading of the Holy 
Spirit. The one is of faith, and the other of force. 
“Faith comes by hearing the word of God express¬ 
ed for our hearing; (Ro. 15: 4) and we are respon¬ 
sible for our acts. He either cannot, or he will not 
make us do. It is a lack of power, or disposition. 
“Holy men of old spake, as they were made to 
speak by the Ploly Spirit”; who were not responsi¬ 
ble for what they said; but those who heard; be¬ 
lieved, or disbelieved, and were held responsible 
for what they did. 

As evangelists, Barnabas and Paul, went forth 
to visit all the churches where they had been, to see 
how they were doing. (Acts 15: 36.) We, from 
this, learn that it is proper for any evangelist, who 
has turned many to God through the work of the 
ministry, to give attention to their well being. 

And as they' gave them the decrees, from the 
Jerusalem council, to keep, it seems proper for the 
evangelists to instruct the disciples in the conclus- 


294 The King and His Kingdom 

ions of the brotherhood assembled. To some it 
may seem strange that Paul and Barnabas, both 
inspired men, should acquies so cheerfully in the 
decrees of the council. As their departure was en¬ 
tirely at their own suggestion, it is not said they 
went by the Holy Spirit, though it seems to have 
been upon their mind to go. It is never said a man 
is led by the spirit, unless the Holy Spirits has 
clearly spoken, and the man has heard and obeyed 
what was spoken; or has had a vision plainly seen. 
No impress of the Holy Spirit is made without 
words. 

It is that foolish idea of an impressment by the 
Holy Spirit, makes men think the Holy Spirit 
leads them to do what they want to do, often, in 
direct disobedience of what the spirit has said. 
Never since the apostles, and doubtful of them, has 
the Holy Spirit impressed any man to know, or 
do, anything he has not learned from what the 
spirit said. It did not make Phillip feel tired, and 
that he would like to ride, and almost fainting he 
asked the Ennuch for a seat in his chariot. God 
by providences opens opportunities. The spirit said, 
“Go join thy self to the chariot.” He obeyed. 

Those most fanatical upon the skepticism of 
Higher Criticism, and most infidel concerning the 
word, are generally most superstitious concerning 
spiritual impressments. 


Duties of Evangelists 


295 


The evangelist, having preached the word to 
the convertion of souls in a community; it is his 
work to take the oversight of the converts, until 
he can place over them a man competent to teach 
them their duties to Christ, and to one another; in 
all things pertaining to the kingdom of heaven, 
and the good of the saints. They are as yet, in¬ 
competent to select a teacher in sacred things; as 
they are entirely untaught in things that are 
spiritual, and their selection would be from the 
pleasures of the flesh; and would come from their 
carnality, instead of their spirituality. (See 1 Cor. 
1 and 3.) 

No one needing to be taught is competent to 
select his teacher . After such arrangements have 
been made, he should still keep watch over them, 
and study their good, until they are developed in¬ 
to the fulness of the stature of Christ. 

With such churches, or assemblies of disciples, 
should then be left, some of their own kind, to take 
charge of the assembly—(not for the assembly to 
take charge of them)—till men of their own mem¬ 
bership can be fitly developed to take the over¬ 
sight. In the development of such, they must be 
instructed in the word of the Lord—“Teaching 
them to observe all things whatsoever I have said 
unto you,” (Matt. 28: 19) till they are qualified to 
take the watchcare of the assembly, or group of 
disciples. 


296 The King and His Kingdom 

But the evangelist should never lose his care over 
them. As Paul had the care of all the churches, 
though driven from place, to place by the perils 
which were upon him, he was still mindful of their 
needs, while watching their growth and develop¬ 
ment in the divine life; and often sent letters to 
them through bishops and ministers. He also sent 
chosen evangelists, whom he trusted, to look after 
them in his absence, who, in his place, was to set 
them in order by the appointment of elders, pas¬ 
tors, and teachers among them; when men quali¬ 
fied, could be found, or proper ones imported. If 
none at home were qualified, some must be im¬ 
ported, or they must do without. 

The most fatal error made, among us, as a 
people, is the idea of the independency of little 
gatherings of disciples, over whom there is no in¬ 
structor, or even advisor permitted. They are like 
little villages organizing themselves with a mayor 
and town council, and denying the right of county, 
state, or general government to interfere in any 
way with anything they may do; and also the 
right of any appeal from the ignorant decisions of 
the conceited mayor, to any judge or court above 
him. These little bands adopt a republican form 
of government; and the babes who should be fed 
with the “sincere milk of word that they may 
grow thereby,” come up from their baptism, by 
which they are brought into the church, and are 


Duties of Evangelists 


297 


taken into this special band; and before the water 
is dry from their nose, not having been taught at 
all in the things of the kingdom; and being wholly 
ignorant of spiritual things, they are ready to 
vote on the “ calling ” of a preacher, scorning the 
advice of age, and experience, and study, by men 
full of the Holy Spirit; whose competence has been 
known for }^ears. Such elect elders, call evangel¬ 
ists, try pastor, when they have erred from the 
truth, or in life, and set up a rebellion against the 
King of all kings, by making their little band in¬ 
dependent of the brotherhood of Christ. 

Such a farce was just enacted in Sioux City, 
where the little church proceeded to “call” a pas¬ 
tor, and chose one contrary to the advice of the 
ministry of the state. And when charges of im¬ 
morality were preferred against him, proceeded to 
try him, before a jury of partizans, that would be 
incompetent in any court in Christendom; and pets, 
and enemies sat together on the judicial board. 

It was a public trial with newspaper reporters, 
and the whole thing came out in the great dailies 
of the city. It was a most terrible stench, and it 
will take the church a full decade to outlive it. 

How much better it would have been, to have 
had the ministers of that section, send a commit¬ 
tee of competent men, whose reputation was 
transcendantly above that of the culprit, and let 
them examine the case with closed doors, and let 


298 The King and His Kingdom 

their report be made to the brethren. But, ’tis 
said, he would not submit to such an examination. 
What had he to say about it? Is a criminal per¬ 
mitted to choose his own pets to try him? 

If he chose to make no defense, could that have 
any weight? 

The committee of peers, could gather the facts 
and make a report. If the report was in his favor, 
he would be willing to abide the judgment of men 
of influence. If the report was against him, he 
would have to abide by it. If a part of the church 
joined with him in stubbornly resisting the report, 
they could take their hoods and go, and the church 
would be better for their loss—being rid of much ig¬ 
norance and impudence. Such a trial would be in 
harmony with revelation, as well as reason. But 
the trial, was no more unscrip tural than the “call.’ ’ 
The whole system begets a hireling clergy. The 
church proceeds to “hire” a pastor. The young 
and untaught member, who have been undeveloped 
in spiritual things; whose food has been of what 
Paul would call “milk,” (with not a little water 
in it) because they were unable to bear strong 
meat; would come in and vote down the ripener 
and more spiritual members; and the majority 
that would be counted, would be a majority of the 
flesh. Indeed in such votes there is no majority 
thought of, but flesh. Of course the preacher 
must cater to the carnality that called him, or they 


Duties of Evangelists 


299 


will “send” him. He becomes a hireling of that 
church. Instead of his taking charge of the church, 
the church takes charge of him, and he is expected 
to furnish an entertainment each Lord day, and 
run all over the town and pet and coax the masses 
into the church, and pet them that are in, that 
they may stay in, and that church gets no teach¬ 
ing; and no growth in grace is visible among 
them. 

In all the word of God there is not a passage 
that hints at the calling of a minister, except when 
the rebel king of Samaria, who would change the 
worship of his people, from Jerusalem to his own 
capitol, sent up and hired a priest to go down and 
officiate for him. 

The whole system is of the devil, and open re¬ 
bellion against Christ. It has started a lot of un¬ 
taught school boys “out legging it,” like curb¬ 
stone politicians for a place. They coax around 
the young people, and cater to their every whim 
in order to get the place, for the pay that is in it. 
The result is our churches are largely under a hire¬ 
ling clergy. 

It is said of those whom God “sends” to preach 
his word to the rebellious, “Woe be unto you when 
all men speak well of you;” but of those “ called ” 
by the church, it is understood, “woe be unto you 
if they don’t.” “For so they did of the false 
prophets.” 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

DUTIES OF EVANGELISTS. 

In the article from Dr. Shepherd, quoted by A. 
Campbell in the introduction, the duties of evang¬ 
elists is quite fully and scripturallv discussed. 

I shall simply call attention to a few things 
that ought not to be neglected. It should be re¬ 
membered that he is never scripturally “called.” 
Such expressions, are more the “language of 
Ashdod, than of Israel.” The true evangelist goes 
out in the name of the Lord Jesus, and prays, 
“Give us this day our daily bread,” for himself, 
and his dear ones; while preaching the kingdom to 
saint, and sinner; and setting churches in order, 
which he has himself built up; while looking to 
such churches to hel^) him on his way; or he goes 
to places where they have not heard the truth, 
and preaches the gospel, to all whom he can pre- 
suade to hear; building up churches and taking 
the oversight of such congregations, until he can 
provide them with shepherds, or other evangelists, 
to take the oversight of such converts; teaching 
them all their duties in the church; caring for their 
exchequer; arranging a place for their meeting; 


300 


301 


Duties of Evangelists 

establishing a system of finance; and teaching 
them their duties to each other; and piety to¬ 
wards of God; until he has developed a people 
strong in the Lord, and radiant in His service. 

The system of finance he arranges, is such as 
is taught by the King; in which each becomes 
responsible to God. 

Not a system of begging, and alms giving; as 
if the King of heaven was an object of charity; but 
.a system of proper tithing, as taught by the Holy 
Spirit; a system, that, while it supplies the ex¬ 
chequer of the kingdom, will also develop in the 
people a scriptural liberality, and propel system¬ 
atic beneficience; such as will increase piety, as 
well as do good. Like the apostles, while testify¬ 
ing to the life, character, and resurrection of the 
Messiah, they also proclaimed the good news as 
evangelists; and then took the oversight of the 
babes, or lambs, of the fold, as shepherds, or 
bishops, in the churches; training, feeding, and 
watching the young converts, with incessant care; 
till they can commit them to the watch-care of 
others, they may choose for them. So the evangel¬ 
ist goes forth to the proclamation of the word, 
under the suggestion and direction oi his asso¬ 
ciates in the ministry; who look after his work, 
and qualifications, as well as his support. It is 
the duty of all evangelists to teach, and exhort 
the brethren everywhere, to liberality, brotherly 


302 The King and His Kingdom 

kindness, and charity. Wherever he builds up a 
church, it is his business to take the oversight 
thereof, till he has trained them into spiritual 
duties, and thought; not leaving the “new born 
babes” to look after themselves in things pertain¬ 
ing to their new life in Christ. 

Being undeveloped in that which is spiritual; 
if left to themselves, in the very nature of things, 
they would come under the feelings, and emotions 
of the flesh, in which they had been so long, and 
well trained, and carnalty would dictate to the 
spirit, or judgment of the mind; and they would 
be led by the flesh instead of the spirit. 

When the good of the Kingdom makes in nec¬ 
essary for him to go elsewhere; and he thinks it 
expedient to leave them in the care of others, if 
men have been sufficiently taught, and spiritually 
developed, so that he can, from among them, find 
those qualified to take the oversight, having devel¬ 
oped the qualifications for office, there should be 
appointed elders, to whom he could turn over the 
watchcare of the flock 

But if none are competent to the work, he 
should select, and send a man to shepherd, not 
pasture the flock; as did Paul, leaving one of his 
own company to take the oversight in such places 
as he had laid the foundation by first preaching 
Christ; as at Crete, Ephesus, Corinth, <?tc., where 


Duties of Evangelists 303 

he left, or sent Titus, Timothy, Archipus and 
others. 

Sometimes on account of his “perils among 
false brethren.” or persecutions from without; or 
the need of other places; or the general good of the 
kingdom; it may seem best for him to depart from 
his present fields of labor, to another; and he 
should then, in the fear of God, and love of the 
cause, and the saints, select, in consultation with 
his fellow deacons, (ministers or evangelists)* and 
co-laborers in the ministery, some one to take his 
place in the oversight of the saints, as bishop of 
their souls. 

A man of wisdom, would not dogmatize, or 
tyrannize over such, and force upon them; one not 
suited to their taste and culture; but in consulta¬ 
tion with the most spiritual, God loving souls, he 
would decide upon one to take the oversight of 
the fold, that heretic wolves enter not in and de¬ 
vour the flock; one from whom might be expected 
the best results possible. 

Such he would leave to complete their organ¬ 
ization, as material developed itself; with the in¬ 
junction to lay hands hastily on none; but let them 
first be tried in the work, to which they were to 
be called of God. (1 Tim. 5: 22.) 


*Paul defines this word 1 Tim. 4:5 “If thou puts the brethren in 
emembrance of these things, thou shaltbe a good ( diakonos ) deacon 
or minister of Jesus Christ. Webster could not define it plainer. 



304 


The King and His Kingdom 


And before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and the chosen angels, he is charged to do nothing 
by partiality. (1 Tim. 5: 21). 

Thus on a first visit of the early evangelist to 
a place; there were no elders selected, as there were 
none qualified; but afterwards Titus was left at 
Crete, and Timothy was sent to Ephesus, to set 
things in order. And it was the work of those, 
thus sent, to examine the candidates, and “set” 
them in office, in the name of the Lord Jesus; and 
not by a vote of the carnality of the church. 

In harmony with this, “Paul said to Barnabas, 
let us go again and visit our brethren in every 
city where we have preached the word of the Lord, 
and see how they do.” (Acts 15: 36). This was 
years after their first trip, when disciples were first 
made in those cities; and it was then they ordained 
elders in those cities, as in Lystria, and Iconium, 
and Antioch; to which they returned after an ab- 
sense, (Acts. 14: 23). They were supplied with 
ministers only, after such ministers had been 
proven. 

In no case was a church found setting itself in 
order, under fleshly ambitious, and carnal procliv¬ 
ities, with desires, like the early apostles under 
Christ, to find the highest place; and be greatest 
in the kingdom of heaven; for which the Master 
rebuked them. (Luke 22: 24.) 


Duties of Evangelists 


305 


As we have shown, every vote taken is of the 
devil, and conies from carnality, the adversity of 
the spirit of submission, and meekness; (1 Cor. 3: 
11) and should be stopped, if half the church must 
be given over to Satan. Let all who would set 
themselves against the order of heaven, go out of 
the brotherhood of the saints. Preachers and all. 
Let them go. A church of that kind has not 
spirituality enough to be desired among any peo¬ 
ple. Their career is short lived, as witnessed by 
that of the admirers of Beacher, Spring, Talmage, 
Thomas, et al .—factions who are only held togeth¬ 
er from mutual admiration of some man. There is 
no Christ in it. Paul would say that carnality 
was the basis of it. 

If one, or more, or all, will not submit to the 
Divine arrangement, they had better step out; as 
Christian service is entirely voluntary, and if any 
prefer to serve the devil, let them do it outside of 
the pale of the church. 

When elders are wanted in any city, and there 
are those properly qualified, it is the work of the 
ministry to present the qualification demanded by 
the Holy Spirit—of which they should be full , or 
they have no place in the ministry—and call upon 
the “multitude of disciples” to find such an one; 
and if one is presented, to take the testimony of 
the disciples upon his qualifications. He must be 
blameless, not self-willed, not a bigamist, nor with 


306 The King and His Kingdom 

disgraceful children, not accused of riot, or unruly, 
nor passionate, nor given to wine, nor a fighter, 
nor covetious; but sober, just, holy, temperate, a 
lover of good men, and given to hospitality, who 
holds to the faithful word as he has been taught; 
that he may be able to convince the opposers. 
(Tit. 1: 6-9.) It is no place for guess work; or 
partiality. He must be a man of power that can 
preach, defend, convince, and exhort; and himself 
be an example to the flock. And when, from testi¬ 
mony of the multitude, he decides upon one’s eligi¬ 
bility, he appoints him to the eldership, by prayer, 
fasting, and the laying on of the hands of the 
aged, and the officials of the church. Such are 
made overseers by the Holy Spirit. 

That is the way the Holy Spirit does his work. 
If a man hears the word, and is baptized in the 
name of the Lord Jesus; when he comes forth from 
the water, he knows he is born of God—knows he 
is begotten by the Holy Spirit; for, from that only, 
would he get the idea of any connection of baptism 
with God’s will. There is nothing in nature to 
suggest baptism as the will of God, any more than 
sacrifice under the Old Testament. As He who in¬ 
troduced sacrifice must have had Calvary in view; 
so He who introduced baptism into the world, 
must have had the sepulcher of foseph in mind; 
and would represent the resurrection by it, as He 
did the death of Christ by sacrifice. No one would 


Duties of Evangelists 


307 


think of such a thing without the teaching of the 
Holy Spirit. He knows he did it because the spirit 
commanded it; and it being a positive command, 
he knows it was done out of respect to the teach¬ 
ing of the spirit; or by faith, and therefore he 
knows the act was begotten by the Holy Spirit— 
by faith in the word, and he knows he is bom of 
God. The witness is in himself. 

So when one has been properly examined upon 
his scriptural qualifications; and has been scrip- 
turally appointed, with prayer, fasting, and the 
laying on of the hands of the ministry in solemn 
ceremony, as required; so as to be an epoch in his 
life, behind which he cannot go back with honor, 
he knows “the Holy Spirit has made him overseer.” 

It is the work of the evangelist to set such in 
the church; as much as it is to baptize those to 
whom he has preached the word. 

If he has preached to babes, and they from 
faith in the word demand baptism, it is his duty 
to baptize them, and they will be children of God 
having been begotten by the word, or Holy Spirit; 
for we have shown that one includes the other; so 
if he can find, among the babes in Christ those 
scripturally qualified he may ordain them. I would 
as soon sprinkle a babe who had no faith, as to 
appoint a novice with the required qualifications 
wanting, to the dignity and responsibility of an 
elder in the church of the Lord Jesus. 


308 The King and His Kingdom 

It is also the duty of the evangelist, minister, 
or deacon, as he may be called, to hear charges 
against elders, bishops, pastors, shepherds, or 
overseers, as they may be called; and when he 
finds them incompetent, or unqualified, rebuke 
them sharply, and before all; and if need be, de¬ 
grade them from their official standing in the 
church. (1 Tim. 5: 19-20.) As in the case of 
Diotrophes, (3 John 9: 10) who was guilty of mal¬ 
administration; to which John proposed to call 
him to account, when he came. 

A careful study of these pastoral letters, will 
explain the duties of the evangelists more fully. 

It is also the duty of the evangelist, to look 
after his fellow evangelists, or co-laborers; and in 
counsels, to judge of the teaching they do; and if 
any are found teaching heresy contrary to the “de¬ 
crees” of the church in councils assembled, onform- 
er occasions; or the traditions of the fathers, to 
call them to account for their heresy, that they 
may explain in a council like that of Jerusalem, 
what they are doing, and their authority for the 
same; “And if they will not hear the church let 
them be to us as a barbarian”; “For no scripture is 
of private interpretation”; that we must have, as 
Mr. Campbell once said, “all kinds of teaching, 
from all kinds of men.” 

It is also his duty to look after female elders; 
appoint them to their work, and teach them their 


Duties of Evangelists 


309 


duties in the church; and see that they abide by 
the instructions. 

With all these duties devolving upon an evang¬ 
elist, he should be a man competent for such a 
work. Not a novice sent out by some school, or 
church, with a reputation for nothing but gab; 
and filled with neither faith, wisdom, or the Holy 
Spirit; but rather with bluster, fluency, and zeal 
without knowledge. Such can run closely along 
side of the “most damnable heresy,” without 
knowing it. Such go out to take charge of churches; 
or calling themselves evangelists assume to take 
the oversight of the work of Christ. 

They received “a call” from the babes of some 
church who vote them in, contrary to the best 
judgment of the most spiritual, and with all the 
carnality spoken of by Paul; (1 Cor. 3: 11) to take 
charge of the spirituality of the children of God, 
and often they snub the fathers in the church, 
much more competent than themseves. 

For such we need a bible school that will teach 
the hible instead of, about the bible. In our schools, 
conventions, and religeous papers, there is often 
more said about the bible; than of what is in the 
bible. 

The evangelist needs to know more of what is 
in the bible—to know more of the word of God—to 
be more full of the spirit of truth. As we have 
shown the spirit of truth comes from the truth— 


310 


The King and His Kingdom 


“Thy word is truth” It comes from the word of 
God. None were ever known to get it any other 
way. When it came as a person to the disciple on 
pentecost it was sent by the personal word ex¬ 
alted; who received it from the Father, and sent it 
upon them; and through them it was “pour unto” 
all people through preaching the word. 


CHAPTER XXVII. 

SUMMARY ON EVANGELISTS. 

Since we are making our argument, not for 
students simply, but for all, we feel it necessary to 
repeat often; so that none may loose sight of the 
positions taken; which, we feel assured are scrip¬ 
tural, as well as practical; and for the best inter¬ 
est of Zion. Indeed we know we are scripturally 
right, and therefore we know we are in the line of 
that which is practical; for God establishes noth¬ 
ing but what is in harmony with philosophy and 
correct in reason. 

Like the apostles, and prophets, so also the 
evangelist belongs to the whole church; and the 
whole church is his field, and also the whole world; 
and he is sent out by his peers in the ministry; af¬ 
ter a careful examination from the testimony of 
the multitude of the saints. 

He must keep that testimony always in his 
favor; continually showing his qualification for 
the work. When he is proven to have lost his 
qualifications, his appointment should be canceled 
by the same tribunal which appointed him. 


311 


312 The King and His Kingdom 

When he ceases to be so filled with the Holy 
Spirit; so that his life and preaching are not in perfect 
accord with the word of God; and a perfect man¬ 
ifestation of the embodiment of the truth; he is no 
longer qualified to preach the word, or administer 
the affairs of the kingdom. Or, if it is found that 
he is mercenary, and is no longer reported honest, 
or “of honest report,” or, is deficient in wisdom, 
or partial in administration; or, if he is so unqual¬ 
ified in the management of the affairs of the king¬ 
dom as to produce trouble among the saints, and 
discord among brethren, or, is greedy of gain, or 
given to wine, or double tongued, or holds the 
mysteries of the gospel with a conscience impure, 
-or his wife is unfit for a help to his work, or his 
children the terror of the town where they lives; (1 
Tim. 3: 8-12) he should no longer be permitted to 
perform the functions of the ministry. While in 
the ministry he should preach the word; not some¬ 
thing else. He should fearlessly reprove the erring, 
sharply rebuke the willful, exhort the weak, and 
teach the ignorant, with patience toward all; 
but with all authority. 

He should take the oversight of the converts 
where he has preached, organize them into assem¬ 
blies, appoint for them teachers to instruct them 
in the word of the Lord, when he finds men quali- 
ified; and should they sin he may rebuke them be¬ 
fore all, that others may fear; and if they are in- 


Summary on Evangelists 


313 


corrigible, and lord it over God’s heritage, instead 
of being examples to the flock; or become such as 
Jude describes, he shall hear their cause, and cancel 
their standing in the church. 

He shall himself be under the admonition of 
his associates in the ministry, and subject to their 
reprimand when deserved; and to their decisions 
both in life and doctrine. He shall not, under the 
sanction of his brethren, preach that which his 
brethren do not sanction; but at any time may 
bring it up for discussion in council as did Paul 
and Barnabas, at Jerusalem, At any time when 
he shall be found preaching contrary to their “de¬ 
crees;” they may withdraw from him their endorse¬ 
ment, that his preaching may henceforth be upon 
his own responsibility. “A heretic after the first 
and second admonition reject.” In all things 
he shall be a pattern of good works; showing 
gravity, sincerity, sound speech that will convince 
the gainsayer, with uprightness, and incorrupt¬ 
ibility in all things. In short he shall be the man¬ 
ifestation in life, of the word of truth in the heart 
—the fullest specimen of redeemed manhood—un¬ 
selfish, and holy. 

With such a character, and the reputation for 
wisdom which must be testified to by the multi¬ 
tude, it is not strange that to him should be given 
the oversight of the church finances; to appoint 
the collections, take charge of the funds, make the 


314 The King and His Kingdom 

disbursements of all gifts, and arrange the con¬ 
tributions of the saints; instructing all, so there 
shall be equality of burdens in the church. This 
was the case at Jerusalem; and Paul in all his 
epistles, indicates his attention to these things. 

There being no seperate office for the care of the 
temporalities of the church, and as we have fully 
shown the deacon ( diakonos ) to be minister of 
the church, taking the oversigh; thereof; he must 
give his attention to the proper arrangement for 
the support of the work, in its various missions. 
He must attend to the cultivation of the various 
talents of the church, so as to promote the great¬ 
est possible development of the body, into the 
fullness of the stature of Christ. In the develop¬ 
ment of that body, it is not proper that it should 
all run to mouth; but the support, and action of 
the body, should be well looked after; and all the 
members cultured, so as to properly fill their 
place, as useful organs, in the organization of the 
whole body. To cultivate the mouth only, will 
make a monster of the body, and such a church is 
generally, simply an opening for something else. 
Let the reader stop and carefully consider Ro. 12, 
and 1 Cor. 12, and he will readily see that the 
work of the evangelist, in the development of the 
body, is as various, as are the members of the 
body. He will also see that the will of the head, 


Summary on Evangelists 


315 


is to be carried to tbe hand, as well as the heart, 
and to'the foot, as well as the mind, and that the 
whole body, with all its members, comes, under 
the advisement of the evangelist. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

ELDERS. 

In the church, or kingdom of heaven, men do 
not reach equality at once. 

With us there is a good deal in the story, told 
for illustration, of the old negro, who, coming up 
from his baptism, blew the water from his mouth 
and nose hurriedly, and said, “Now I am ready 
for sputen.” 

Generally the babes born into the kingdom, 
rush from their baptism to the church, to enjoy 
their first opportunity to vote upon a subject of 
which the}' have, as yet, had no opportunity to 
learn anything; and often take the church, not 
only from the authority of the Lord Jesus; but 
from qualified, to unqualified hands. 

John the apostle writes, (1 John 2,) unto little 
children, young men, and fathers. The little chil¬ 
dren are they who were lately born of the spirit; 
as he says, “Your sins are forgiven you for His 
name’s sake.” This name was called upon them in 
their baptism, when they, having been begotten 
by the spirit (John 3: 1-8) or what is the same 


316 


Elders 


317 


thing, by understanding the word, (Ja. 1: 18) 
were born again. 

He whom God begets by the word of truth 
when bom of water has fulfilled the statements of 
Jesus to Nickodemus, (Jno. 3: 1.) 

The young men are those who have grown 
strong, and have overcome the wicked one, and 
in whom the word of God dwells. Such are 
spiritually strong. The fathers are those who have 
known Him from the beginning; or those who 
have kept His commands. “If a man say I know 
Him and keepeth not his commands he is a liar 
and the truth is not in him.” The fathers are not 
those who have, as they claim, experienced His 
promises; but those who have kept his commands. 
It is of this latter kind, elders are made; those 
who are walking in the fulness of Christ’s love. 

For if a man says, I love Him, and keepeth not 
His command, knoweth not what he affirms; for 
this is the law of God that we keep His commands. 

’Tis thus we grow in spiritual life from baby¬ 
hood to fatherhood; or fed by the word, we are 
changed from one glory to a brighter glory, till we 
wear the image of Christ. ’Tis in this higher ad¬ 
vancement we are chosen b}^ the King to do Him 
service, as officials in His kingdom. The King 
Himself makes the selection, as all the officers are 
“gifts” from the King, to men. 

Like the evangelists, prophets, and apostles, 
the elders, pastors and teachers, were given to 


318 The King and His Kingdom 

men for the perfections of the saints, the work of 
the ministry, and the edification of the body of 
Christ, till our faith is a unit, and the body com¬ 
plete, and the manhood perfect in Christ, and 
our knowledge of the Son of God is full; so that we 
are all of the same mind and judgment. (Eph. 4.) 

Through these gifts, instead of the direct gift 
of the personal Holy Spirit, we attain to the one¬ 
ness of faith, and knowledge of the Son of God, 
and reach the fulness of the stature of Christ. Or 
through their labor, Christ’s image is “ formed ” in 
us. (Gal. 4: 19.) 

With so much on them depending, it is neces¬ 
sary they shall be proper men, and Divinely chosen. 
The appointment of elders was after the same 
manner as that of evangelists; and the same man¬ 
ner of setting them apart to the work was followed. 
The qualifications were clearly catalogued by the 
Holy Spirit in the apostles. 

The business of the church was to find men 
possessing these qualifications; and when such 
men were presented to the evangelist, with all the 
disciples testifying to the fact of their possessing 
them, without any dissentions to the contrary; it 
was the duty of the evangelist to set them apart 
to the eldership; by the laying on of hands, etc. 
No other person could be made elder. While you 
may baptize an unbelieving babe, you cannot 
make a Christian of him. So you may lay hands 


Elders 


319 


on a man unqualified; but he is not an elder among 
God’s people. Not such as God has called. In the 
days of apostles God called; but now, inflated with 
higher criticism, we read much about the church 
calling. 

It was never the business of the church to ap¬ 
point its own officials. The disciples testify of his 
qualifications; and if he is found qualified, the 
evangelist appoints. This appointment is not 
done till he is first proven. He has been acting as 
“helper” under evangelists, under whom he has 
performed one duty after another, till he is thor¬ 
oughly known, and properly tried. “Lay hands 
hurriedly on no man,” is the injunction. 

The appointment came on account of his qual¬ 
ifications, and he cannot be deposed while he pos- 
esses them. He is exposed before the evangelist, 
or minister; and there is a general acknowledge¬ 
ment that he posesses all of them; not in perfection 
for that we cannot reach; but in prominence. 

Should several brethren, of good standing, and 
influence, testify that he is not qualified in any one 
particular, he should no more be appointed than 
one should be baptised with evidence that he does 
not believe, or has not repented. 

Should such a one afterwards fail, and evidence 
arises that he no longer possesses the qualifica¬ 
tions, the testimony should go before the ministry, 
by whom he was appointed, who should hear 


320 The King and His Kingdom 

“without partiality,” or preference; and finding, 
from good testimony, that he does not now pos¬ 
sess the qualifications required, his appointment 
by the ministry, should at once be canceled. 
Or if he has sinned, he must by the ministry be 
publicly rebuked. 

This is clear from the letter of Paul to young 
Timothy, who was doing the work of the ministry 
(diakonos) at Ephesus, in which he says, “against 
an elder receive not an accusation but by two or 
three witnesses.” “Them that sin rebuke before 
all that others may fear” (1 Tim. 5: 19-20.) 

The next verse is the most solemn charge, by all 
the holy ones, that no partiality, or preference, 
shall enter into this decision; or any of the work 
of appointment; and all shall be done without 
haste. 

Thus the hearing of a charge against an elder 
must be by the same tribunal that appointed him, 
who shall take up no flying report; but the charges 
must be made and testified to in proper form; and 
the question upon which he is to be examined is 
that of qualifications only. No carnal excitement, 
and passion, can be brought up. It is a trial of a 
man’s spirituality, by the most spiritual in the 
church, and the testimony is all concerning facts; 
and all the carnality, of overwrought feeling, is 
shut out. To get rid of an unqualified, though 
foxy elder, is as easy as to appoint one; and the 


Elders 


321 


process is the same. No log-rolling as at an elec¬ 
tion; nor chicanery, and carnality. The rough and 
the ungodly members, who have not been in the 
church for a year, and were never known to pray, 
are not rushed in to vote. It is a question of 
proof, and proof only. If there is any complica¬ 
tion about it, there would be propriety, as well as 
scriptural precedent, in calling in others of the 
ministry, to sit with the judge who had the case 
in hand. Any official in the church may sit on 
such a board, and form a jury of ministers. 

A man who would not be tried by such a court 
is not fit to belong anywhere; but in the region 
of darkness, with the dammed, and should be 
“given over to satan, to learn not to blaspheme.” 
No evangelist fit to be called one, woidd sit upon 
a case in which he was personally implicated. The 
judgment should be in harmony with the law—the 
perfect application of the law. Should the evan¬ 
gelist sitting upon the case, be thought prejudiced 
in the case, an appeal could be taken to a fuller 
bench of his peers; which would amount to a trial 
of the evangelist who sat upon the case, as in the 
case of Diatrephis, (3 John), or Hvmenens and 
Alexander, against whom the influence of the min¬ 
istry were brought. Such were not permitted to 
go on in evil, leading the saints astray. “Better 
that a millstone were hanged about their necks, 
and they cast into the depth of the sea than to 


322 


The King and His Kingdom 


cause one of Christ’s little ones to go astray. “Their 
mouth's must he stopped .” The ease with which 
this can be done was seen in the case at Abingdon, 
Ill., many years ago, for which I fought two con¬ 
ventions called for that purpose, before we could 
get a committee appointed. 

So also in a case at Long Grove, Iowa, where 
peace and good will was restored in two days. 
How often has a good preacher had his influence 
greatly injured by some excited, not to say false 
brethren, who should have had a hearing, and 
been set right. 

How often some old pretend elder, has been 
elected to office, by a system of political chicanery, 
which would have disgraced a curb-stone politic¬ 
ian, to lord it over God’s heritage; and he holds on 
to his place, till the cause of Christ goes down, 
and the sacrifice of many is thrown away, and 
souls sent to perdition, and no way found among 
us to stay the woe, or stop the carnage, but we 
must stand aloof, and see our brethren die, and 
noble ones with hearts discouraged give up the 
work for life. It will be a sad day for us to awake 
in heaven, and find those we ought to have saved, 
shut out. 

We will then realize the terrible woe pro¬ 
nounced in Amos VI upon, “Them that are at ease 
in Zion, and are not grieved for the afflictions of 
Joseph”—their brethren. 


Elders 


323 


Under the present regime, and carnal conduct 
of our churches, (1 Cor. 1 and 3) a host of young 
converts are brought into a pious little church, 
who by their piety, and good influence, have made 
the cause we plead honorable in that community, 
and questions of vital importance come up, and 
are voted upon, and a majority is sought. Major¬ 
ity of what? Of piety and faithfulness, and Christ¬ 
ian character and wisdom, and knowledge of God’s 
word, and devotion, and faith, and developed 
charity? No! ’Tis a majority of the flesh, sought; 
and noses are counted, and the biggest sinner in 
the community scarcely dry from his baptism, 
comes forward, with brazen effrontry, and votes 
down the embodiment of piety, and devotion, and 
wisdom, whose sacrifice has made the church what 
it is. He puts no heart in the work. He simply 
puts his nose in it and that stands in opposition 
to the prayerfulness, and devotion of the body. 
This I am glad is not as often the case as it might 
be; but I feel assured that the God, whom I wor¬ 
ship, never left an open door for such unrighteous¬ 
ness to stalk in, and mis-manage the kingdom of 
heaven. 

In the early years of the reformation, Mr. 
Campbell, and his associates, took strong excep¬ 
tions to our offering that part of the prayer Christ 
gave to His disciples in the beginning of His min¬ 
istry; which says, “Thy kingdom come”; as being 


324 The King and His Kingdom 

a prayer for what we already had, and for which 
we should the rather give thanks; while pressing 
into it. To ask the Lord for what we already had, 
Mr. Campbell claimed, was no indication of piety, 
which means gratitude. Such a prayer, he argued, 
could scarcely be with the spirit, and the under¬ 
standing. 

It was argued, that, there is no account of the 
disciples offering such a prayer, after Pentecost. 
It certainly would have been very inappropriate. 
But I notice that our brethren who now worship 
after the form of our new liturgy, and say their 
prayers , say, “Thy kingdom come.” I feel, with 
the kingdom of heaven, changed to a republic of 
the flesh; such a prayer is not entirely inappro¬ 
priate. I would however suggest a change of The 
formula to, “Thy kingdom be restored.” Such a 
prayer would receive my hearty, Amen. For it, I 
shall not cease to pray, till the rebellion of the 
flesh is put down, and the kingdom of Jesus Christ 
established with Christ reigning by His word in 
the hearts of His subjects. To those who can see 
no difference between a spiritual kingdom of God, 
and a carnal republic of the flesh, it would be use¬ 
less to say more. 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

ELDERS. 

A qualified apostle, chosen of God and sent, 
was an apostle wheresover he journeyed; and he 
testified to the grace of God, through our Lord 
Jesus Christ, wherever he was found. A prophet, 
filled with the spirit of prophecy, was a prophet 
wherever the spirit of the Lord came upon him, 
and he spoke to the people, and cried against sin, 
and denounced inequity; crying woes against 
those who transgressed; while exhorting to right¬ 
eousness before God, and faithfulness in our Lord 
Jesus Christ. 

Both of these, when acting as evangelists, 
went where they found a door opened to them, 
through the providences of God. They were gifts 
to men, not to the church; as a burden to be cared 
for by a lot of babes in Christ, who for a little 
season “called them,” till they got tired of them, 
and then sent them away. They went independ¬ 
ent of the church’s call, and in high and low places, 
rebuked sin, and carnality, fearless of church 
treachery, and human partiality; or the ire of some 
would-be leaders, who might refuse the house to 


325 


326 The King and His Kingdom 

preach in, because some of their sins had been re¬ 
buked; to the annoyance of some, who would be 
first in the assemblies. Yet they, too, were some¬ 
times in perils among false brethren; as Paul 
writes to the Corinthians. 

Such treatment is a strong temptation to the 
preacher to cater more, and more, and more, to 
the fastidiousness of the proud, and unholy. 

We read of God sending apostles, prophets, and 
evangelists; and of being sent by the Holy Spirit; 
but we read of no church of apostolic instruction, 
calling its ministry from place to place. Indeed in 
the days of apostles, and the dispensation of the 
Holy Spirit, the church had no ministry. We read 
of no church whose minister did thus, and so. In 
those days, the ministry belonged to the Lord 
Jesus Christ. None belonged to the church at 
Corinth, or Ephesus, or Rome, or elsewhere. We 
read that Epaphras was a minister of Christ for 
the church at Collosse. (Col. 1:7.) 

So Paul was made a minister of God. (Eph. 
3: 7, Col. 1: 23-25.) So Timothy was made a 
minister of God. (1 Thess. 3: 2, 1 Tim. 4: 6.) 
Something strange in all this, that while God’s 
ministry labored for the church, doing faithful 
work; yet they were ministers of God, and not of 
the church; and were not under the beck of the 
church for whom they ministered, under God. 


Elders 


327 


These were apostles, evangelists, and prophets, 
sent by the Lord to different places, and people; 
but nowhere do we read of a church calling, the 
servants of the Lord, to minister to them the 
things of the Lord. 

We do find the King of the ten tribes who 
would, contrary to the law, set up a worship at 
Samaria, sending to Jerusalem, to “hire” a priest 
to go down to Samaria. And of another, who 
“hired’’ a priest to go to his house and conduct 
worship there; but no blessings followed such 
ministrations. 

The folly of such things is indicated by Jotham’s 
parable of the trees getting together and “calling’* 
for the olive tree to reign over them; which refus¬ 
ed; and then the fig tree was “called,” but it did 
not “accept,” so they proposed to put themselves 
under the bramble, and they gave it “a call,” and 
of course the bramble, which had neither fruit nor 
sweetness, would accept. (Judges 9: 9-21.) We 
read this people feared the Lord, but served other 
gods, “They made to themselves priests for their 
high places and served their own gods.” “They 
made priests of the lowest of them.” (11 Kings 
17: 32.) 

So Paul writes of the times coming, when 
“men shall heap to themselves teacher, and shall 
turn from the truth, and be turned unto fables.” 
(2 Tim. 4: 6). When we read and hear so much of 


328 


The King and His Kingdom 


churches “calling” its minister, for a year in this 
place, and that, and men looking to be “hired,” 
and are willing to officiate in Samaria or Jerusalem 
if only “hired,” I can but think history repeats it¬ 
self, and prophesy is being fulfilled. 

In the days of the apostles, no church called 
its preacher; but they went as sent by the Lord, to 
preach the glad tidings, wherever sent by God, 
through the minister. They came not from the 
call of some insignificient little church, remarkable 
for nothing but their independence, ignorance, and 
ungodliness, who assumes to tell the minister sent 
of God, what he may preach and what he shall 
not. Paul, in his epistles, kept it constantly be¬ 
fore the saints that they were ministers (diakonos 
deacons) of God; and were by him sent for the 
work of the ministry, the perfecting of the saints, 
and the edifying of the body. (Bph. 4) “How be 
it, when the Lord, by Plis prophets taught them 
better, they did not hearken, when he testified 
against Israel and ludah, bv all His prophets.” 
(Kings 17). 

They feared the Lord, but did as they pleased. 
So it is now. Men fear the Lord with much emo¬ 
tion, and yet worship in their high places; and do 
as they have done, without repentence. No doubt 
there was much devotion and piety in Samaria, 
when “the people feared the Lord and worshiped 


Elders 


329 


other Gods” and so there is piety in Mecca, but 
obeidence of the Lord is not in their service. 

We read liturgy, and preach mission sermons, 
and pray for the Holy Spirit to help us, and obey 
not the voice of the Lord; when to obey is better 
than sacrifice, and to hearken them the fat of 
rams. (1 Sam. 15). We “call” our own teachers, 
and reject those whom God sends, and encourage 
itching ears, that love fables. 

The ministry of God, is the elect of the Lord, 
and the sent of heaven; not from the respect of 
person, but of character. Pastors and teachers 
are a part of the ministry, and like apostles, and 
prophets, are given, not to the church but “to 
men.” Like the others, they are set as organs, in 
the church by him, who organized the body of His 
Son, after His own will. Young pastors are called 
by the church, more from the carnalty of the 
church, than from its spirituality; to learn from 
their own experience, rather than from the exper¬ 
ience of old men, as in the days of the apostles. 
The plea is that the young men must learn to 
preach, or we will soon have no old preachers. I 
once bought a colony of bees, and a book on the 
apiary, and I began to study the art of bee culture. 
In three months the colony had all died. I bought 
another, which lived about six months. I was 
learning, but it was death to the bees. Could we 
adopt the manner of the apostles; and place each 


330 The King and His Kingdom 

of our young men, for a season, with an old 
preacher; I think they might learn, and yet the 
churches live. True many converts have been 
added; but what were they converted to? Fre¬ 
quently, the word of the Lord is compromized for 
numbers. If a young man is not popular he must 
loose his place, and thus a bonus is offered not to 
fulfill the command “reprove, rebuke, and exhort.” 

Everything is thrown in the way of faithful¬ 
ness, in the ministry, where the hearers select the 
preacher- The elder is as much sent of God as the 
apostle, prophet, or evangelist, and is chosen in 
the same way. And for a church to “call” a pas¬ 
tor, is as contrary to the word of God, as it was 
when Israel turned from the Lord’s organization 
of His people, and demanded a king. 

Since the elder is a minister of God, he is not 
elected of men. Jesus on the throne of an absolute 
monarchy, must appoint His own officials in His 
kingdom. If they are a gift from Him, we must 
accept His appointments, or rebel. To rebel is as 
devilish on earth, as it was in heaven when Satan 
fell. We are not to exercise our own wisdom in 
the matter, lest we reject the wisdom of God. He 
who really accepts Christ, makes him his wisdom, 
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 

Being a minister sent from God he must per¬ 
form his functions in the church, under the auth¬ 
ority of Him who sent him, and not from the 


Elders 


331 


authority of the church. There is nothing more 
deceptive, and contrary to the whole genius of the 
reign of heaven, than the statement that some 
certain church has “called” such, or such a minis¬ 
ter, for another year. Or extended a “call” to etc., 
etc. 

If God sent him for the work of the ministry, 
and the edifying of the body of Christ, he should 
go where he is sent, regardless of human calls; and 
no church has any business meddling with him in 
his work. They may testify against him; but if 
they send him off, from where God has sent him, 
they are resisting God—resisting the Holy Spirit. 
To resist is to transgress, and to transgress is to 
sin—sin against the Holy Spirit. If by law God 
orders his departure, the church may “call” for 
another; but it should “call” on God for the gift, 
and not on the gift itself. Then God, by his law, 
may send just what is needed. 

The management of the M. E. church, in this 
matter, is far more in harmony with scriptural 
precedent, than any I know of; and the little 
friction in its workings illustrates the wisdom of 
God. Our management is in open rebellion to the 
King, and the difficulties continually arising, also 
illustrates the wisdom of the Most High. 

Some of the most ungodly characters can con¬ 
tinue to preach among us; and the most terrible 
heresies are boldly proclaimed from our pulpits. 


332 


The King and His Kingdom 


As Mr. Campbell once wrote. “All sorts of teach¬ 
ings by all sorts of men,” is found among us, and 
with our present organization there is no way to 
stop them; or to stay their ravages in the fold. 
When we settle down to the understanding that 
the elders, like apostles, are ministers sent of God; 
and a gift to men, from “God who has chosen 
them to be ministers;” and not the called or 
chosen, of some little band of disciples, but poorly 
taught in the “scriptures given by inspiration of 
God;” we shall then seek to know how they are 
chosen, and the manner of their appointment. 

Like all God’s elections, it is a choice of char¬ 
acter, not of person. If one is chosen to eternal 
life, it is from character. From all eternity God 
has chosen the faithful to life eternal; yet all must 
enter heaven through faithfulness in Christ Jesus. 
He must harmonize with the Divine requirements, 
as revealed in the gospel of the Son. 

If it is an apostle to be chosen, God selects one 
qualified. If a prophet is chosen, he must be qual¬ 
ified with the spirit of prophesy. It would be folly 
indeed, for some unqualified, to guess at things to 
come. (Deut. 13: 18-22). 

So when an evangelist is chosen; we have 
shown how the choice is to be made, and have 
noticed the qualifications set forth; (Acts 6) and 
the additional requirements in Paul’s epistles to 
Timothy and Titus, where he catalogues also the 


Elders 


333 


character of deacon—minister, (diakonos). So 
an elder—pastor or teacher—to be selected lor the 
saints, must be described by God, and found by 
the brotherhood, and set apart by his peers. The 
description from God would not come by a new 
revelation; but through the Sacred Oracles, where, 
when once described, it must be for all time. 

Paul to the Corinthians, (Chap. 12) catalogues 
the officers God has set in the church—not the 
church set up in, and for, itself—as first apostles, 
secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, and after 
these helps, etc. 

In his epistle to the Eph. (Chap. 4) he classifies 
the teachers, as evangelists, pastors, and teachers. 
Thus to be in either of these classes, one must be 
competent to teach. The folly of appointing one 
incompetent to teach is patent to all, and we 
would look for one qualification to be “apt to 
teach.” 


CHAPTER XXX. 

DUTIES OF ELDERS. 

Before attending to the appointment, we 
should study what he is appointed to do. If he is 
simply a figure head; a respectable one should be 
selected. If a president, he should be able to pre¬ 
side well. If chosen as an example of good works, 
he should be a “pattern” worthy of admiration. 

Or if he is appointed a teacher; he should be 
qualified in that line, and “in doctrine showing un¬ 
corruptness, gravety, sincerity, sound speech that 
will convince the gainsayer.” God makes no mis¬ 
takes. The witnesses may be mistaken, when tes¬ 
tifying to the character of his qualifications; or 
those who judge from the testimony, may make a 
mistake; but the character God has described, is 
well chosen. 

It is clearly stated that he must take the over¬ 
sight of the church, which cannot mean to poise 
himself in the pulpit, and see-over the assembly; 
but he shall look after the spiritual wants of the 
saints; and also take cognizance of their temporal 
needs, and see that provision is made for proper 
food, and raiment, and care in sickness, and dis- 


334 


Duties of Elders 


335 


tress, so that none will need to look to some club 
or lodge, to fulfill the work God has appointed for 
the church. Yet he must not lord it over God’s 
heritage; but must be an example to the flock, and 
hence must be a man of purity, piety and grace. 

They are to feed the flock; and therefore must 
be supplied with such food as shall produce 
growth, and development in the divine life; and 
since that is to be “the milk,” and the “strong 
meat’ ’ of the word, they should be men filled with 
gush? Nay verily; but with the Holy Spirit; so 
as to faithfully declare the whole counsel of God. 
They should be thoroughly established in the 
doctrine, that God can safely place the younger 
under them; and say to them, “Let the younger 
submit themselves to the elder.” (1 Peter 5:1-5.) 

Paul to Timothy said, “Let the elders that 
rule well, be counted worthy of double honor, 
especially them who labor in word and teaching. 
(1 Tim. 5: 17.) 

This clearly indicates two classes. Both rule, 
but one also labors in word and teaching. Then 
both should be competent rulers, and should have 
been tried. If they have failed in their family, 
among servants, or wherever tried, they are in¬ 
competent, and should not be placed to rule the 
church. They must be competent to direct the 
younger. Not by dogmatic assertions of author¬ 
ity to drive; but they shall lead the flock, like a 


336 


The King and His Kingdom 


shepherd; making themselves “examples of the 
flock”; and showing themselves, humble followers 
of the meek and lowly one. They are called “pas¬ 
tors,” which means shepherds, indicating that 
their business is to lead, direct, and feed the fold 
of God; also to be ready to see that no wolf enter¬ 
ing in, shall destroy it. It is their business to 
watch that no poisonous food is set before the 
lambs, and should any be found by them, to be 
ready with an antidote; correcting all such false 
teaching, as majr come from false teachers, that we 
are told, shall “arise and lead away disciples after 
them.” The elder should therefore be competent 
to meet such men as they arise; and, in the name 
of the Lord, convince the gainsayer. 

Some good old man in the church, will not ful¬ 
fill this requirement, simply because he is tooth¬ 
less, and childish, and can be made a tool for the 
wary. He must be able to shield, and deliver 
the fold when dangers arise, and protect it when 
enemies appear. One, himself established in the 
truth, that cannot be led away with every wind 
of doctrine by the slight of men of cunning crafti¬ 
ness, tying in wait to deceive. 

Moreover, he must be a finished student of the 
word who gives himself wholly to it; and not some 
freshman from college who is giving his whole 
time to the study of physical science, and knows 
but little of the “doctrine,” to which Paul com- 


Duties of Elders 


337 


mands Timothy to give attention. (See 11 Tim. 
2: 2 and 3: 25 and 14 and 4: 2, 1 Tim. 4: 13-16 
and Tit. 2: 7-8 and 3: 9-10.) 

This selection cannot be made by a church, 
that has not itself learned right doctrine from 
wrong. It is an appointment of God, and must 
be done either direct from heaven or through His 
ministry by laws given. The first were appointed 
direct; as the apostles, fully endowed; and after¬ 
wards by laws given through them. But why 
should any government order officers without 
giving the qualification making them competent? 
And also the manner of appointment. It is not so 
in the governments of this world. If they are to be 
elected, the law clearly declares it, and if appointed 
by the president, or governor, it will be found in 
the decree; as also who are competent, and who 
incompetent. Are the rulers of this world wiser 
than the King of Glory? 

Being chosen from those who have been long 
in the kingdom; and have climbed from childhood, 
to fatherhood among the saints; as John says, “I 
write unto you little children because your sins are 
forgiven you for His name’s sake.” Just born into 
the kingdom—“born again.” They may be old in 
the flesh, but they are young in the gospel, with 
nothing to recommend them but that their sins 
are forgiven them as babes in Christ. “I write 
unto you young men, because you are strong, and 


338 The King and His Kingdom 

have overcome the wicked one.” The babes have 
grown into strong manhood, and have resisted 
temptation. “I write unto you father because 
you have known Him who was from the begin¬ 
ning.” (1 John 2:) “If a man say I know Him, 
and keepeth not His commands, the truth is not 
in him. 

From these fathers who have walked side by 
side with the Master, till like Him they “knoweth 
our frame” and have been tempted as have the 
younger; are “elders” chosen to “lead the flock” 
shepherd it—and teach the disciples the doctrines 
of Christ. 

Hence they are called “elders” because they 
are taken from the fathers in the church; not 
necessarily fathers in the flesh. A youth just past 
his majority, may be older in the kingdom, than 
one who has passed his three score and tenth mile¬ 
stone in life in the service of sin. From such God 
never chooses an elder. 

Such men must be in every assembly, if there is 
growth. That which is known and practiced 
among us, as self-edification of the church, is such 
an anomly, and so ridiculous, I will not attempt 
to describe it. ’Tis like blind men attempting to 
see for each other. The more you have the greater 
the danger, and confusion. God set the ministry 
in the church, to “edify the body of Christ.” 
(Eph. IV.) 


Duties of Elders 


339 


Men who have developed under the influence 
of Christian teaching, into the stature, and image 
of Christ; men who have known, and loved -Him; 
men of influence, age, and character, who can rule 
with dignity and honor. 

But they must rule by teaching, and not 
arbitrarily, and with dogmatism; that Christ may 
be all, in all. 

These elders may grow up from well tried evan¬ 
gelists, as, Paul the aged; and Peter says he belonged 
to the board of the eldership. Not an elected 
board over some little assembly; but a board ap¬ 
pointed of God over the saints scattered abroad 
through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and 
Bithynia—an elder, all over, wherever found. 

The duties are not confined to one assembly of 
saints; but being set apart to the Lord’s work 
they are elders where ’ere they go, as much as an 
evangelist, or prophet, or apostle. 

Nothing can be more puerile than for a man of 
God set apart to the Lord’s work, with all the 
endowments required, to be elder in one church, 
and younger in another, in the same city; with 
perhaps more influence in the second, than in the 
first. 

The priests of Baal might have claimed that 
Elijah was not prophet there, and had no business 
to interfere. The elders like the others are gifts to 
man; and are appointed to edify the saints; and 


340 The King and His Kingdom 

wherever you find the saints there is his appointed 
work. He is an organ placed in the body, (not 
bodies), to perform the functions of that organ, 
for the whole body. (1 Cor. 12). Peter writing 
to the disciples says, “the elders which are among 
you,” (dispersed as you are) “I exhort, who am 
also an elder”—(or literally “a fellow elder;” or as 
Pickering would render it,“of theboard of elders)” 
—over saints scattered among many nations, and 
peoples. Though he was not with them, he was 
one of them, and looked after them through the 
others with whom he counciled. (1 Pet. 5: 1.) 

Many were the meetings of the scattered saints, 
and the elder who met with them, where they 
were permitted to gather, some in one place and 
some in another, watched over them, and fed them 
with the bread of life. 

Peter’s epistle was written as an elder, feeding 
the fold, as he would talk to them face to face. 
He was doing the work of an elder, in the epistle 
he wrote; looking after the saints everywhere; and 
as an aged evangelist writes to the elders of their 
duties to the flock. 

“The elders who are with you ”—some are not; 
I am not with you; but some are. By persecution 
the saints are scattered. Some elders meet them 
in their scattered condition— (not as assembled in 
church)—and he writes for them to feed ? the flock, 
scattered and distressed. The elder is an elder on 


Duties of Elders 


341 


the streets, in your homes, in strange cities, where 
ever the saints are found. “Oversee the flock for 
I am a fellow elder, as well as a witness of Christ’s 
sufferings.” “Christ, the chief shepard will ap¬ 
pear. Is Christ chief pastor over one band? or 
over all? Over all, “God blessed forever.” As He 
was to be over the saints everywhere, so they 
should also be, where ’ere the dear ones are found. 
From this it is clear that an elder, is in, and for, 
the church of God, and cares for the whole body, 
and “feeds the lambs” wherever the strayed ones 
are found, having the oversight of them. The 
idea of an elder in the church of Jesus Christ, being 
limited in his work to the care of a few, assembled 
in some special locality, comes not from the teach¬ 
ings of the Sacred Oracle. There the church is re¬ 
presented as the body of Christ, with organs all 
set in their places. Can it once be supposed that 
the eye, or the ear, is for one cluster of members 
only? And not for the whole body? Can it be 
supposed that an eye is given for the hand and an 
other for the foot and one for each cluster of mem¬ 
bers which may chance to be thrown together? Or 
is the eye, the tongue, etc., for the whole body? 
If the figure which Paul uses means anything, the 
eldership like the apostles, prophets, evangelists, 
and teachers is for the whole church; and is set for 
the perfection of the saints, the work of the deacon- 
ship and for the edifying of the body—the whole 


342 The King and His Kingdom 

body of Christ. It is for him to take the full over¬ 
sight of the body, to teach the younger their duty 
to each other, and to the aged; to feed the flock of 
God and care for the lambs of the folds; leading 
and guiding, in heavenly paths, while following the 
Divine Master, in his loving pilgrimage among 
men. 

He is the pastor of the fold, and on him rests 
the care of the church of God. He is a man of 
sufficient age to have made a reputation among 
the saints; and has built up a character, that can 
be set, as an example to the flock. 

He, from his age, standing, and character, 
selects the teachers for the church, and helps all 
church work; appointing such, as will feed the 
babes proper tood for growth in grace, and knowl¬ 
edge of the truth. If there is a Sunday School for 
teaching the children the way of the Lord he ap¬ 
points for it such teachers as will not inculate 
heresies, in the minds of the young. Is there a so¬ 
ciety for the training of the youthful, members of 
the church, he should see to it, that it is properly 
officered, and wisely instructed. He selects lead¬ 
ers for meetings, helps, directors, etc., in the church; 
(See 1 Cor. 12: 28) in harmony with the scripture 
injunction; ruling the church in the fear of God. 

Paul says, the Lord gave with apostles and 
prophets, also, pastors and teachers. These are 
both of the eldership, and it is theirs to instruct 


Duties of Elders 


343 


the flock in all things that pertain to life and godli¬ 
ness; and hence the younger are to submit to the 
elder who watches for their souls. (1 Pet. 5: 5.) 

To the young, he feeds the “sincere milk of the 
word.” If he is not feeding that, he should be 
looked after, by the elders and evangelists—his 
peers in the ministry—who should take his case 
under consideration; not permitting him to pro¬ 
ceed till he shall draw away, a large following, 
after him. 

The pastor of the church is the leading elder, 
and has the care of the membership, calling to his 
assistance such helps, as he may need for the 
proper care of the flock; not with lordly author¬ 
ity; but with love and grace. In patience, and 
prayerfulness, he should be an example to the 
flock, and in joy, and sorrow, he should be in 
sympathy with all; comforting the distressed, 
helping the feeble, instructing the erring, exhort¬ 
ing the wayward, and bringing the bread of life, 
to each hungry, panting soul, should be his daily 
care. He should be ready for every good work in 
the fear of God and love of man. 


XXXI. 


QUALIFICATIONS OF ELDERS. 

Before a man can be appointed to office under 
the King of glory, he must first be found eligible; 
and then chosen by the King. As we have shown 
’tis a monarchy absolute; and the appointment of 
all officials, must be by the King. Like all His 
elections His choosings are from character, and 
not from any favoritism. He has no respect for 
persons, is His repeated declaration. His subjects 
are made subjects, on account of certain qualities, 
possessed. The alien must believe in the King, 
with a faith that will accept Him as Lord, and 
law-giver, from the fulness of his heart; or he can¬ 
not be admitted into His kingdom. He must also 
reform his life by a change of his affections, and a 
loving embrace of all the things taught by the 
Divine Master, doing all he has commanded, with 
energy the most cheerful. Such are chosen to be 
members of His kingdom, and heirs with him to 
the heavenly estate; and are to be translated into 
the kingdom of God dear Son, by the rite of 
baptism. 


344 


Qualifications of Elders 


345 


By a faithful life, and continuance in well do¬ 
ing, seeking for glory, honor, and immortality, 
they are appointed to life eternal. Thus all His 
appointments, are, from qualifications, fitting 
them for the position they are to hold. When 
man by sin lost his character, he lost his estate; 
and the return of his estate, is conditioned upon 
the renewal of his character. So the offices of the 
kingdom, are filled by men qualified; and the selec¬ 
tion is made from those who possess the required 
characteristics. Christ has appointed a penitent 
believer to baptism; but as said, I would as soon 
baptize an unbelieving babe, as to lay hands on a 
man, ordaining him to the eldership, not possessed 
of the complement of qualifications required. I 
would as soon omit faith, and take an unbeliever 
into the church, or open its doors to the ungodly, 
as to pass by the qualifications the Lord has enjoin¬ 
ed upon the officials of his kingdom; especially, 
since the choice is made on account of these char¬ 
acteristics. 

Let us therefore search diligently to ascertain 
what are the qualifications the dear Lord has re¬ 
quired of every one appointed to the eldership. 
You will find them catalogued by Paul, in his let¬ 
ters to Timothy, and Titus. We will first notice 
the negative side. He shall not be a novice—a new 
born babe in the kingdom, undeveloped in grace 
and character. Such are liable to be lifted up with 


346 


The King and His Kingdom 


pride, and the vanities of life, and made to fall 
from their own steadfastness, into the condemna¬ 
tion of the devil. 

He must not be given to wine; and must not 
be a striker—boxer—pugilist; nor greedy of gain; 
nor covetous; nor a brawler; nor one soon angry; 
or self-willed. There is no place in the church offi¬ 
ciary for a stubborn, passionate, fighting man. 

He who is not reasonably free from the above 
tarnishes, cannot be appointed to the officiary of 
the church. One possessing these would be no 
honor to the cause, of the Master; who said to 
those He was preparing for the ministry, “Let 
your light so shine before men, that others seeing 
your good work, will be led to glorify your father 
in heaven.” The eldership must be of clean hands, 
and a pure heart, with conscience undefiled—an 
example to the flock. 

Affirmatively, he must be blameless, as a stew¬ 
ard of God; irreproachable; of good behavior; giv¬ 
en to hospitality; ruling well his own house; and 
of good report among those without. 

What a man may be before God, in his own 
heart, will not help him, with a bad reputation 
among those where he is to exert an influence for 
good. Though his brethren may fully endorse 
him, yet if the world counts him desreputable, he 
should not hold a position in the church, that 
would be a stumbling-block in the line of church 


Qualifications of Elders 


347 


advancement. If he is a good man, and loves 
Christ, and the cause, and is really fit for the pos¬ 
ition, and loves the church, and his fellow man, he 
will for the sake of the cause of Christ, and the 
honor of the church, step out, until better known. 
If he will not do that, he is unfit for the place, and 
should be put out. He must be sober, vigilant, 
and of good behavior; orderly, prudent, just, holy, 
the husband of one wife, and competent to teach. 

The above gives a good idea of the kind of 
man the Lord selects to take the oversight of the 
church, and stand as a figure-head, before the 
world, exemplifying the beauty of holiness. Such 
would be a beautiful representation of gospel teach¬ 
ing, as compared with many now most prominent; 
and a glorious example to young Christians; show¬ 
ing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity—sound speech, 
holding forth the faithful word ; that by sound 
doctrine he may convince the gainsayer. Such a 
man is an honor to any cause, and is not wanting 
in influence for good anywhere; and yet the carnal 
will object to him. 

Tis said men of that stamp eannot be found; 
but I pity a church of a score of years growth, 
that has not developed many such. 

But if they have none who can fulfill the re¬ 
quirements, the evaugelist should remain with 
them, till men of the stamp required can be de¬ 
veloped; or one should surely be imported. Certain- 


348 


The King and His Kingdom 


ly such a congregation is not competent, to care 
for itself, and to rebel against the Lord, and vote 
in an unqualified person to disgrace the church 
and ruin its progress would be folly. 

A curbstone politician once persuaded me to 
go to the polls and vote for him for justice of the 
peace; and he proved to be only a piece of justice. 

I knew a church, which became offended at 
their minister for rebuking sin, and voted a dancer 
into the office of deacon, who was known as a 
tipler, an associate of saloons, and who boasted 
of his illegitimate child. ’Tis said a bad man is al¬ 
ways as good as the one who votes knowingly, 
for him for office; and in this case he was better 
than the church for he treated the whole thing 
with contempt and would not accept. 

A church that has developed no one fit for of¬ 
fice, is surely not competent to select its officers. 
No man who has been with a church through one 
struggle to settle difficulties by a popular vote; 
and have seen persons raked in to vote who have 
been so long out of it; and gone so far from the 
church, that they had forgotten to cross their 
names from the rolls; but can read I Cor. 3 intelli¬ 
gently, and with a mournful Amen. In the regime 
of our churches, the cause of Christ, is under the 
control of the carnal element, and flesh rules in¬ 
stead of the spiritual in all things; especially in the 
selection of a preacher, who, when selected must 


Qualifications of Elders 


349 


cater to that element, or loose his place. It is a 
known fact that a tippling preacher, or one who 
takes morphine, will remain much longer with a 
church, than one who is pure, and pious, andfaith- 
ful; especially if he belongs to several fraternities 
outside of the church. 

We shall certainly ne’er get back to the “ancient 
order,” till we have given up our democracy, for¬ 
saken the republic where flesh and passion rule, 
and gone back to the kingdom of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, and enthroned Him in the church, as 
head over all, God blessed forever. 

No church will develop in purity, and piety, 
under one not possessing the requirements given 
by the Holy Spirit. An evangelist who would ap¬ 
point officers unqualified, or men below the stand¬ 
ard the Lord has given, is not a man of faith; and 
is unfit for the ministry of the word, and should 
receive the censure of all his faithful brethren in 
the ministry. 

I have little patience with those who preach 
Christ to others, and will not themselves heed His 
admonitions. Little use have I, for those who 
preach the word but do not practice it. 


CHAPTER XXXII. 

APPOINTMENT OF ELDERS. 

Many times it has been asked how are elders 
chosen? If not by the churches? If they are teach¬ 
ers of the saints, the congregation of saints would 
certainly be incompetent to select them. Were I 
to be taught French I could not be a proper judge 
of the teacher as I would not know whether I was 
being taught German, Arabic, or the language I 
desired to know. Since my judgment would be 
veiled in the matter, I would select from fleshly 
symathy. 

Therefore a church declaring itself for Paul, or 
Peter, or some other, is acting from its carnality; 
or from its fleshly sympathy, (1 Cor. 3) in viola¬ 
tion of the laws of spirituality. It is incompetent 
to choose. No babe is competent to select the 
milk upon which it is to grow; so babies in Christ 
who are to be fed upon the “sincere milk of the 
word,” cannot tell whether it is the Gospel or the 
Koran; the word of God, or the book of Mor¬ 
mon, they are taking into their souls. 

As Mr. Campbell said, “We have all kinds of 
doctrine, preached by all kind of men”; and every 


350 


Appointment of Elders 


351 


observer knows it to be too true, and must the un¬ 
learned, and untaught, select the good and reject 
the evil? 

How many among us, have been carried about 
by every wind of doctrine by the slight of men of 
cunning craftiness. To hope for the salvation of 
many honest souls, thus deceived, we must run 
very near the borders of Universalism. Even now 
the mystery of iniquity doth already work. 

Also the finding of a place in the eldership un¬ 
der the title of “Pastor” has become a matter of 
dexterity among the young preachers, wherein 
they often show the sagacity of politicians. 

Did I believe the bible taught such folly, I 
should incline to doubt inspiration, and would 
gently slide into the popular infidelity of Higher 
Criticism. 

The bible teaches that the elders are chosen of 
God, and are formally set apart by the officiary of 
the church, in harmony with the laws of the King. 
Inauguration does not make a president; and yet 
a man is not president till inaugurated. If you in¬ 
augurate the wrong man you fail to make a pres¬ 
ident of him. 

So with elders. The choice must be made, and 
made properly by the party authorized to choose. 
God chooses, through His Son, the King of the 
kingdom. The choice is not made from personal 
respect; for the King has no respect for persons. 


352 The King and His Kingdom 

As in all His selections, the choice is from char¬ 
acter. If betrayal is needed, a son of perdition, is 
found in Judas Iscariot. If an intrepid witness of 
the ressurrection is wanted, a Simon Peter is 
chosen. Or if a learned proclaimer of the gospel is 
needed, a Saul of Tassus, is selected for the work, 
for which his character is happily suited. 

So when the commission sends the disciples 
forth to baptize it tells the qualifications men 
must have to be eligible. 

So the Holy Spirit appoints the evangelist, or 
minister ( diakonos) to ordain elders; but the spirit 
carefully defines who shall be ordained, by defin¬ 
ing the character he must possess. Only those 
possessing that character are chosen; and you 
could as easily inaugurate a fool, and make a 
president of him; as you can make an elder of one, 
not chosen by the Divine Lord, and King, by or¬ 
daining him. Such are only playing elder. He 
must first be chosen to the office. But as the 
choice is from character clearly defined in the laws 
of the kingdom, the man possessing them, must 
be found. 

But to prove us Sons of God there must be 
two witnesses, the Holy Spirit, and our spirit, as 
it is written. “The spirit itself beareth witness, 
together with our spirits that we are the chil¬ 
dren of God.” (Ro. 8: 16.) 


Appointment of Elders 


353 


The spirit which knows the deep things of 
God testifies to God’s requirements in order to a 
new birth, or adoption; and our spirit, which 
knoweth the things of a man, (1 Cor. 2: 11) testi- 
tifies to our having complied with' the conditions, 
and the testimony of both together proves us 
children. 

So the spirit of God testifies of the character 
of him, whom the ministry shall appoint to the 
eldership; and the “multitude of disciples”—the 
saints—with whom he has for years associated, 
and who know him well, and intimately, testify to 
—(not guess at)—his character, and the qualifica¬ 
tions he possesses. They know if he is a striker, 
or a brawler, or a tippler, or a bigamist, or self- 
willed, or unholy, and the saints, his associates, 
like the apostles of Jesus, testify to what they 
know, and have seen. The requirements to eligi¬ 
bility, are put',into the constitution as plainly as 
that of a president is put into our national con¬ 
stitution, under which none would dream of in¬ 
augurating a fifteen year old boy, of foreign birth; 
simply because he could talk glibly and write 
poetry. 

No special revelation is necessary, as when the 
spirit said, “Seperate me Barnabas and Saul;” 
but as in the case of the seven at Jerusalem the 
spirit says through the ministry, “look us out a 


354 The King and His Kingdom 

man with the qualifications required in the gospel, 
whom we may appoint to this work .’ 1 

Thus it is the ministry, who declare the con¬ 
stitutional requirements given by the word, which 
they minister; and the multitude of disciples who 
have associated with him as the disciples did with 
their Lord, select the one and testify to his char¬ 
acter. 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 

EXAMINATION OF CANDIDATES. 

When an elder is needed, and it is not thought 
expedient to have but one at present, it is the duty 
of the evangelist, or minister, ( diakonos ) who 
has built up the church—not organized it, for 
God sets the organs in the body as it has pleased 
Him—and who has thus far taught them the Sac¬ 
red Oracles; to call the disciples together, and ask 
them to look out a man of scriptural qualifica¬ 
tions, whom he may appoint over the work. It 
would be eminently proper if such a minister, feel¬ 
ing the responsibility, and danger of a mistake, 
which would be fatal to many souls, to call in 
counsel from surrounding cities; as, in a multitude 
of counselers there is wisdom, and none but a con¬ 
ceited “boy preacher,” would venture to assume 
the whole responsibility, if it could be avoided. 
Then fasting and praying would be in harmony 
with apostalic usage. It is the multitude of dis¬ 
ciples which must find the man. 

If the preacher were to make the selection, 
there might be danger of favoritism, and Paul 
charges Timothy, before God, to do nothing by 


355 


356 


The King and His Kingdom 


partiality. This selection is done by the multitude, 
who proceed to elect an elder? No, they testify of 
the man. 

In an election the majority rules; but in testi¬ 
fying, the minority settles the question if any 
arises. 

The multitude find a man who is generally 
supposed to possess the qualifications required, 
and the disciples as a whole endorse him. 

But two witnesses arise, who, from personal 
observations, know him to be a tippler—given to 
wine, or strong drink. He cannot then be ap¬ 
pointed without violating the law of God. I 
would sooner take a man into the church without 
baptism; than to appoint a man to an office, from 
which he is dehared by the word of God. His ap¬ 
pointment would be rebellion; and he, who ap¬ 
pointed him, would be a rebel in the kingdom of 
heaven. 

It will take all of the wonderful mercy of God, 
to get that man through at the judgment. The 
plea of ignorance he would have to make, if heard, 
would save all the heathens under the skies, with¬ 
out the aid of foreign missions. 

Another must be selected. This man cannot 
be appointed. So, another is found! But this one 
is a striker, or self-willed, or a brawler, or has two 
wives, and he too must stand aside. The whole 
multitude of disciples is canvassed, and none can 


Examination of Candidates 


357 


be found. What shall be done? Shall he appoint 
the best they have? 

Such an act would be defiance of law, and an 
insult to the King. It would not be of the faith of 
Abel; but from the conceit of Cain; and the man, 
who, without authority, would make such an ap¬ 
pointment, would belong to the family of Cain—a 
Cainite. By faith a man does what God says. 
God does not save a man because of faith; but by 
faith, which obeys. What shall be done? 

There are but two things that can be done. 
(1). The minister, (diakonos) as acting evangel¬ 
ist, must remain preaching, and teaching Christ, 
(Col. 1: 28) ’till through his faithful labors, Christ 
shall be formed in some (Gal. 4: 19) so completely, 
that men qualified for the work shall grow up 
among them. 

(2). Or an elder, or pastor, must be imported, 
to watch over, and care for their souls, ’till the 
stuff, of which elders are made can be grown. 

You can’t make an elder there, any more than 
you can make a Christian, by sprinkling a babe. 
Jesus speaks of such as would adopt the one, and 
discard the other, as, ‘‘straining at a knat and 
swallowing a camel.” 

But a happier supposition would be, that a 
dozen were found, where only one was wanted. 
Then let each be separately examined; and let the 
multitude testify. 


358 The King and His Kingdom 

Is he a novice? A tippler? A striker? A 
brawler? Or stubborn? Or covetous? Or petulent 
and passionate? Or a bigimist? And to each ques¬ 
tion there is a unaminous, no. 

Is he blameless? Hospitable? Sober? Just? 
Holy? Temperate? A lover of good men? Does 
he rule his own house well? Has he a good repu¬ 
tation? Does he hold fast to the word? And last 
but not least, is he efficient in teaching? And the 
multitude affirms with a hearty, amen. 

I pity the church, that cannot find the man. 
There has been something wrong in their teach¬ 
ing. They have compassed to much sea and land 
to make converts; and have failed to work 
properly the ground they have gained. 

But here are a score where we want only one, 
two, or three. 

What shall be done? Shall we select out the 
best. How can we? Since each one is eligible and 
we know not their hearts. Shall we admit partial¬ 
ity? Then we would be sinning, and carnal. 
What then can we do? 

I thank God, we are not left in the dark. Cast 
lots with the fervent prayer, “Thou Lord which 
knowest the hearts, show which Thou has 
chosen.” (Acts 1: 24.) They will not need Bro. 
G—’s liturgy nor “Alone with God,” to pray when 
the heart is full. Such helps are only needed when 
people, “say their prayers”; but when they pray, 


Examination of Candidates 


359 


and the heart is full with “groaningsunutterable” 
they will be heard by God. ’Tis hard sometimes 
to “say our prayers”; but when the heart is full, 
and faith is strong, no one needs help to pray. 

The lot will fall somewhere; and that will be 
counted God’s choice. 

But those not selected might be offended. That 
would show them unfit to be selected. The man 
of God, will always be satisfied with God’s choice; 
and the man of faith would not doubt His provi¬ 
dence. 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 

APPOINTING ELDERS. 

Having found.the man, in a manner that can 
never be improved upon—in which no strife, or 
jealosies can arise, and none ineligible can be 
taken; and all carnal ambition is shut out; and the 
selection is heavens choice; and in accordance with 
law; and without rebellion against the King; and 
places the man of God at the lead; with no chance 
for revolt, or opportunity for complaint, and in 
harmony with philosophy, reason, and revelation 
—the only true way, for it is God’s way—and as 
infallible as the King on the throne, and as Divine 
as the gospel we preach; we are now ready to 
study the manner of appointing him. 

When Israel passed out of Egypt through the 
Red Sea, and were baptized into Moses, they 
could never return to the land of their bondage 
with honor, or without deserting their leader 
whom God had appointed. For that reason God 
led them the route that He did, lest they might 
run back and forth, from one leader to the other. 
(Ex. 13: 17.) When God brings a child into His 
family, the era of his spiritual life begins. Behind 

360 


Appointing Elders 


361 


that epoch he can never go, except as a deserter, 
or a rebel. So when a man is ordained a minister, 
or an elder, his life work is fixed; and his ordina¬ 
tion becomes an epoch in his life peculiarly mark¬ 
ed; and exceedingly prominent—the Teneriffe to 
which he looks back as he voyages through life. 
Though many discouragements may arise, he is 
henceforth under covenant with God to do His 
work. Therefore the ceremony should be marked, 
and solemn, and long to be repiembered. The fast¬ 
ing should not be simply from a 9 o’clock Sunday 
breakfast, through a hurried communion to get 
back to dinner at 12; but a full week of scanty 
eating with all luxuries discarded, and diet the 
most simple; with continued prayerfulness. 

The time should be given to fasting and prayer 
by the whole church; and solemn convocations 
should be the order of the day. It should be a 
marked epoch, the most solemn; and long remem¬ 
bered in the life of that man. 

With prayer and fasting and the laying on of 
hands by all the ministers and elders present, he 
should be set apart to the work to which he is or¬ 
dained; and from henceforth he takes the care, and 
oversight of the church of God. Not that he must 
do the work himself alone; but he calls around him 
helps; (1 Cor. 12: 28) who under him assist in the 
distribution of the bread and wine. These are 
commonly and improperly called deacons. The 


362 


The King and His Kingdom 


word helps, would be more appropriate. These 
helps assist in the administration of the ordin¬ 
ances, and the finances, under the direction of the 
ministry, and eldership; under whose supervision 
they are being trained and tried. 

They should also be admitted to the councils 
of the church, and thus prepared for church work, 
under the training of superiors in age, and experi¬ 
ence. 

These elders, and ministers, whether few or 
many in the church, are not chosen of men— 
elected; but are Divinely appointed, for the man¬ 
agement of the church of God, and are responsible 
for its success, and work. They do not lord it 
over God’s heritage, but are examples to the flock. 
But they are not without authority in the king¬ 
dom, to be ignored by the young prattling preach¬ 
ers; and the influence of their wisdom, and experi¬ 
ence lost, when it is most needed. 

The law is, “Let the } r ounger submit to the 
elder.” He takes the place of the evangelist in the 
church after his appointment, while the evangelist 
goes to new fields. He is the ruler in the church, 
not by physical force, but by spiritual influence; 
and the church is expected to be under his juris¬ 
diction, and instruction; for one whom God has 
chosen is worthy; and it is expected he will take 
the oversight of the saints; teaching, disciplining, 
correcting, instructing, warning, leading, feeding 


Appointing Elders 


363 


and exhorting, to their highest development in 
Christian life, and spirit. To that end he gives his 
life’s purposes, energies, and thought; that 
through his labors, and teaching, Christ may be 
formed in the saints so fully, that others seeing 
their good works under his direction, may be led to 
glorify our Father in heaven. 


CHAPTER XXXV. 

DISCIPLINE OF ELDERS. 

But he is not infallible, and as with Paul, so 
also with him, the flesh wars against the spirit, 
and while he wills to do good, and in his mind de¬ 
sires to serve the law of the spirit, yet in the mem¬ 
bers of his body—the flesh, with its passions and 
lusts, there is a law waring against his mind, and 
spiritual desires, bringing him into captivity to 
the flesh; with its pride, vanity, a,nd ambitions. 
This is the difference between the dispensation of 
the flesh, and that of the spirit. The law ought to 
control man’s actions in the flesh, and hold him in 
restraint by law, or under rule , before principle 
developed. The law could brook no variation 
in life, from the most strict obedience; and condem¬ 
nation passed upon every one who violated any 
one of its mandates. For “he who transgressed 
one command has broken the law and is guilty of 
all.” But the law of the spirit of life in Christ 
Jesus, was of faith, and pertained to the mind of 
men—his spirituality; and was to subdue his will 
to God. Under it the stumblings of the flesh are 
not so much considered, when the mind is set on 


364 


Discipline of Elders 


365 


good, and the will is to work righteousness. With 
the lusts, and passions, of the flesh in our mem¬ 
bers, it is not possible for a man to perfectly re¬ 
strain his life, into a perfect acquiesence in the 
justice, goodness, righteousness, and holiness, of 
the law which was given for the government of 
the flesh; but is made death to us, because of sin 
which is in our members. 

Thus the law was weak through the flesh, 
wherein was a law in its members, waring against 
the law in our mind and bringing us into captivity 
to the law of sin—law of transgression—in our 
members; so we could not do the things we desired 
to do. A wonderful example of this was found in 
David; who with all his wonderful piety, rever¬ 
ence, and devotion to God’s law; could not re¬ 
strain himself from continual transgression. 

Hence the law of the spirit of life in Christ 
Jesus, pertains to the spiritual; and would trans¬ 
form man by the renewal of the mind. (Ro. 12:2). 

By the development of pure, and lofty senti¬ 
ment, begotten in the spirit, by the seed of the 
word, man is sanctified to holiness, and the flesh 
is restrained through the highest conception of 
lovliness, in the beauty, and grandeur of the char¬ 
acter of Christ, as set forth in the gospel of his 
grace. This wonderful conception is taken into 
the mind by faith, produced by hearing the word 
of God; (Ro. 10: ) and through the culture of our 


366 


The King and His Kingdom 


spirits we are transformed— metamorphosed —by 
the renewing of our minds; and man is brought 
under the control of the spiritual, through the 
culture of his spirit, unto the development of his 
spirituality and affections, by the reception of the 
word through faith; and the stumblings of the 
flesh in its weakness are overlooked, while the 
mind, and heart, are being developed into the 
spiritual, and the heavenly. 

Read carefully the epistle of Paul to the Ro¬ 
mans, forgetful of Lard’s commentary on Chapter 
2: 14, and you will find that it is not the hearer of 
the law, that is justified, but the doer of the law, 
and the heathen who by nature does right, is as 
righteous as the Jew who does right through the 
restraint of the law, and since both have failed to 
fulfill all righteousness, both have passed under 
condemnation, and all are lost, for all have sinned. 
Redemption therefore must come through the 
hearing of the word, since they are condemned by 
the works of the law. By the works of the law 
there can be no justification; for under it all have 
failed—sinned—and passed under condemnation. 
Salvation must come therefore from hearing the 
word, and its reception by faith into our minds, 
that we may be saved—sanctified by the truth. 
(John 17: 17.) Jesus as the embodied word says, 
“I am the truth”—“the light”—“the life of men” 
“The life is the light of men.” (John 1: 4.) With¬ 
out that light there is no life. 


Discipline of Elders 


367 


“Faith is bewildered much by men who meant 
to make it plain.” 

It is simply the act of receiving truth into the 
mind—into the inner man—into the spirit of man. 
Whoever believes the word, receives the word. 
The eyes of the understanding of the believer are 
enlightened by the reception of the spirit of wis¬ 
dom, and revelation, in the knowledge of Christ, 
by faith in the word of God; by which they know 
what is the hope, of His calling, and what the 
riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. 
(Eph. 1: 17-18). 

But the eyes of the unbeliever, who receives 
not the light of life, are darkened, being alienated 
from the life of God through the ignorance that is 
in him, because of the blindness of his heart; while 
walking in the vanity of his mind; (Eph. 4: 17-19) 
giving himself up to uncleanness, with greediness. 

Under the dispensation of faith, the law is not 
written upon stones to be read by observation; 
but upon the heart—the affections—to inspire to 
the highest spiritual impulses. (11 Cor. 3.) “I 
will make a new covenant with any people, says 
God, in which I will put my laws into their minds, 
and write them upon their affections. (Jer. 31: 31.) 
The heart in scripture always mean the affection¬ 
ate intelligence. A man may serve God with the 
mind, and in the devotion of his affections, while 
stumbling under the pressure of fleshly impulses, 


368 The King and His Kingdom 

and earthly environments. Like Israel who feared 
the Lord, yet served other gods. 

This manifests the need of continual teaching 
and warning, in order to perfection. (Col. 1: 28.) 
Therefore “All kinds of men” are not sent out to 
“Preach all kind of doctrine,” responsible to no 
one. If an angel shall preach anything different 
from what Paul preached as the gospel, he was 
accursed. 

The law was for the development, and purifi¬ 
cation of the flesh; while the gospel is lor the de¬ 
velopment of the mind and heart—the spirit of 
man—lifting him into higher spiritual culture and 
grace. The law of the spirit of life in Christ 
Jesus, frees us from the law over our fleshly mem¬ 
ber/which cannot keep its holy injunctions, until 
the spiritual man is cultured into high and lofty 
conceptions of the beauty of holiness, and the 
grandeur of the love and knowledge of God. 

A man thus cultured into spirituality, is no 
longer led by fleshly impulses, and passions; but 
by his spirit, cultured and developed by the spirit 
of God, through the gospel of His Son. By it, the 
mind and affections of the man are so developed 
in Godly spirituality, that ’tis said of him, he has 
the mind of Christ, or the spirit of God. Christ is 
formed —“formed in him.” (Gal. 4: 19). 

Therefore, it is necessary, that, under the dis¬ 
pensation of spirit; culture, instead of fleshly re- 


Discipline of Elders 


369 


straint, the instruction should be the most perfect, 
in its accuracy. 

That partiality, and fleshly impulses, with 
pride, and vanity, shall all give place to humility, 
Christian courtesy, and fraternal sympathy. 

Hence the necessity of an elder, who is to be 
both an example and teacher, to be a man of 
marked character, and spiritual attainments. 

Though he may pass the crucial examination 
required; like Paul he has the laws of the flesh to 
contend with, and is liable for such reasons, and 
perhaps others, to fall from his steadfastness, and 
like Alexander and Hymeneus, to err from the 
truth; or give heed to seducing spirits, fables, or 
doctrine of devils; or be lifted up with pride and fall 
from his steadfastness, like Diotrephes; (3 John 9) 
who assumed the superiority, and lorded it over 
God’s heritage. 

Or among them, may arise men, speaking per¬ 
verse things, to draw away desciples after them. 
(Acts 20). 

Or men will arise who seek to please those who 
would gratify itching ears; (2 Tim. 4) and fail to 
preach the word, which alone can save; (Ro. 1: 16) 
therefore it is necessary in order to the perfection 
of church polity, that a tribunal be established for 
the censure, or discipline, of those who publish 
heresy, or live ungodly, or are guilty of malad¬ 
ministration in the church. A case of heresy is 


370 


The King and His Kingdom 


found in Hymeneus and Alexander who were con¬ 
victed of blasphemy,and were given over to satan 
for such impropriety. Also in Hymeneus and 
Philetus who erred, and taught contrary to the 
decrees of the officers of the church; and by their 
false teachings led disciples away from the faith. 
A case of mal-administration is found in Diotre- 
phes, who took it upon himself to cast out of the 
church, those who did not give him the pre-emi¬ 
nence he desired. 

In all these cases, an aged evangelist, well- 
known in the church, sat as judge in the case and 
administered the disclipline deserved. 

Paul says to Timothy, “Against an elder re¬ 
ceive not an accusation but by two or three wit¬ 
nesses.” The evangelist then was to receive ac¬ 
cusations against the elders, whom they had ex¬ 
amined, and appointed, under God. 

Paul especially warns Timothy against Higher 
Criticism from false scientists in the last two para- 
graphs of his first epistle to Timothy. (See also 
Tim. 1: 4-7 and 2 Tim. 2: 14, 16 and 23, Tit. 1: 
14 and 3: 9, all of which the teacher among the 
saints would do well to consider.) 

Thus we see it is the business of the ministry 
to see that the young saints, incompetent to de¬ 
cide what should be taught them, shall be prop¬ 
erly taught the gospel of God’s grace. Are they 
competent to distinguish the proper teaching they 


Discipline of Elders 


371 


should receive, they need no teaching. Many of 
our teachers and editors have done more to cause 
Israel to sin than did Jerehoam the Son of Nebat. 
And this false teaching, “All kinds of men with 
all kinds of doctrine,” have been among us, with 
no way to get rid of them, or correct their errors, 
or ungodliness, has been the sad cry for near a full 
century; and we are no better off to-day, than we 
were fifty years ago. 

A few ignorant elders, who are themselves un¬ 
qualified for the office they hold, have sometimes 
taken it upon themselves to sit in judgment upon 
some preacher; who has perhaps given them a 
just, and much needed rebuke, for holding office in 
the Lord’s kingdom, by a human vote; instead of 
by the Lord’s appointment. How careful should 
men be in their administration, who are appoint¬ 
ed by a republican rebellion; instead of by the 
authority of the King of glory. 

I cannot see why our thoughtful students of 
the word, have not asked for a simple shadow of 
authority, for an ejection in the kingdom of our 
dear Lord. 

Many have mourned over the anarchy which 
prevails among us, but have failed to see what 
was wrong, and how easily and successfully the 
Lord’s plan can be worked. 

Others are so infatuated with our republican 
institutions, that they would not exchange them 


372 


The King and His Kingdom 


for any other form of government, even though 
the Lord God himself is King. 

Every writer that has written, has started up¬ 
on the basis of elections; than which there could 
be no ground more contrary to the whole system 
of Divine government. God is the Lord, and He 
has crowned His Son Jesus the anointed, King ol 
all kings, and every tongue as well as every act in 
heaven, in earth, and under the earth, should con¬ 
fess His supreme authority; for God has given Him 
a name above every name, and to Him ascribed 
all power in heaven, and among men; and His 
kingdom, and His government, shall have no 
end. Amen and Amen. 

To reduce the system to apostolic practice, 
and precedent, an evangelist goes out like Paul; 
and better far, if he shall take Barnabas, or Silas 
with him. They go to Corinth, or Antioch, and 
preach Christ, through the word of God. Those 
who hear and believe the word are pricked to the 
heart, and they tell them to reform their lives; and 
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for there 
is no other name, given among men, whereby we 
can be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ. His 
is the only authority for salvation. Many hear¬ 
ing the things concerning the kingdom and the 
name of Jesus Christ believe and are baptized. 
These continue with one accord in fellowship, and 
breaking of bread, and in prayers, under the 


Discipline of Elders 


373 


teaching of the man of God who came among 
them, as he goes from house, to house, preaching 
the things of the kingdom. They meet under his 
instruction, and keep the ordinances as they were 
delivered to the saints at the beginning. No elders 
can be ordained, for the King has said no novice 
shall be appointed, and a man must first be tried 
before he can hold office in the kingdom of God’s 
dear Son. 

The evangelist continues with them, teaching 
them, all things the Master has commanded. No 
man can well take his place, but if he must leave 
he imports for them a teacher, as Paul left Titus in 
Crete, and Timothy in Ephesus, to set in order 
things wanting in the kingdom, and teach them 
perfection of Christian life. These teachers select 
such helps as are needed in administering the ordi¬ 
nances, arranging the finances, conducting the 
different services, selecting the proper gifts, in 
prayer, in exhortation, in song, and the instruction 
of the young, to superintend the Sunday school, to 
lead all meetings in the church, etc. 

When he goes away, he calls another to take 
his place, for as long as that church needs a teach¬ 
er, it is incompetent to select one. When a few 
shall become efficient in knowledge and character, 
they may be appointed teachers, after a careful, 
and scriptural examination. When these no long¬ 
er need teaching they will be competent to select a 


374 The King and His Kingdom 

teacher for the babes, and strong young men of 
the church. (1 John 2; passim). 

No babe in the church can distinguish milk 
from poison. The more bitter, the more anxious 
he would be to crucify the flesh, and do something 
for Christ. If too savory, he would soon take 
nothing but taffy and toddy. It requires the wis¬ 
dom of age, and of experience, to properly care for 
a church. 

Upon the proper development of those who 
have started, depends the future of that church. 
If they let their light so shine before men, that 
others seeing their good works shall be led to 
glorify their Father in heaven; the church will be 
a success. But if they snub their preacher to find 
one that will “draw,” and having itching ears, 
shall call to themselves a teacher, and if he fails to 
draw, to then, run him off and try another, the 
cause will have a long hard struggle there. I once 
advertised for a church that would “draw.” 

A preacher that will “draw” must cater to the 
whims of the populace. No demagogue is fit for 
a teacher in the church of Jesus Christ. It is the 
godly life, and loving fellowship, and sympathy in 
the membership, that must have the legitimate at¬ 
tention. If the preacher draws, those who are 
converted are converted to him; and when he 
leaves they scatter. 


Discipline of Elders 


375 


If the church draws, the converts are won to a 
godly life, and Christian symvathy, and they will 
stay, and grow, with any preacher. Let the word 
of God be preached, and lived, and it will draw— 
draw to the King of glory—draw to the loving 
head, Lord over all, God blessed forever. 


CHAPTER XXXVI. 

FEMALE ELDERS. 

A few days since I received a letter from a 
young lady I dearly love, which said she had to 
write an essay on the work of the Holy Spirit, for 
the Endeavor Society, and she had thought of 
asking me about it, but from some things I had 
written she thought I did not agree with her, so 
she did not write. 

I wrote back that after having studied the 
subject for more than fifty years; and having had 
eight public discussions with representative men 
of the demoninations; besides some written discus¬ 
sions with our own brethren, I was sad that I 
had not yet reached the plain where I could agree 
with her. Especially since I began the study 
thirty years before she was born, and am in har¬ 
mony with A. Campbell and I. Errett, and others 
who represented us in the early years of the re¬ 
formation. But I was more sad, that she had 
reached a point so early in life, where she cared to 
investigate no further. She had reached a period 
in the knowledge of the Holy Spirit. 

In the days of Campbell, Scott, and that host 
of good men, made great by the study of the word; 

376 


Female Elders 


377 


there was a continual study to know all that it 
teaches. 

Of them, it was said, that, were the bible lost, 
it could easily be reproduced from their memories. 
But in these days I find if any wish to know what 
the bible teaches, they go to S. S. literature, most 
of which is but a transcript of denominational 
publications and most exceedingly faulty. If we 
have nothing better than they, why not go with 
them? Why keep up a distinction when there is 
no difference? Surely if they are right, the cause 
of Christ would be advanced by our joining their 
ranks, and helping them on. But if they are wrong, 
God will hold us responsible if we do not correct 
their errors. (Amos 6: 1). 

When the pilgrims were about to embark on 
the Mayflower; their old pastor Robinson, himself 
too old to come, led them to the seashore and after 
prayers exhorted them to come to no period in 
religion; but if a reformer should be raised up by 
God, bringing more light, to receive that light 
thankfully; but to make no stop in their advance¬ 
ment in the truth. 

One of our most learned and scriptural preach¬ 
ers, wrote an article on the work of women in 
the church, and since then has been boycotted by 
our churches under the controling vote of women, 
and C. E. societies. I was once asked in conven¬ 
tion at Hiawatha, Kansas, to take the place of 


378 The King and His Kingdom 

an absentee, and speak upon “The Relation of the 
C. E. to the Church.” I objected and said I did 
not know of any relation; that one was a human 
affair organized by a Congregational minister; 
and the other was a divine institution set in order 
by the King of Glory; and I could not tell what 
relation they were. After that, I too, was boy¬ 
cotted in that convention. 

A very devoted sister, but surely of more piety 
than faith; once said to me, that she did not like 
what Paul said about women; that he was a 
bachelor and did not like women as much as 
Christ, who taught differently. I tried to show 
her that if Paul and Jesus spoke by the same spirit, 
they spoke alike; and each must be heard, or we 
resisted the Holy Spirit, as did the Jews. If Jesus 
spoke by the spirit, Paul did also, for Jesus said 
He would send the spirit to all the apostles. In 
the study of woman’s work in the world under 
the ministrations of Satan let the spirits of the 
devil direct us; but in the study of woman’s work 
in the kingdom of Christ, may we be guided by 
the Holy Spirit in all he may say. If we refuse to 
hear, we resist not man, but the Holy Spirit; and 
Jesus Christ our Lord, who sent the apostles forth 
by the spirit to teach those they discipled, “All 
things whatsoever He had commanded.” To re¬ 
ject His teaching is darkness, and death. 


Female Elders 


379 


With the “lamp of life” before us, we shall 
seek to know the official work of women in the 
kingdom of heaven; and when we have found the 
light, endeavor to walk therein. Their appoint¬ 
ment to any office, must be, like that of all others, 
from the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible; the 
only wise God, to whom be glory, and dominion, 
and honor, and power, forever. 

If the Greek word ( presbuteros ) in its mas¬ 
culine form means a man in the office of an elder; 
I cannot see why, when used in its feminine form it 
does not refer to a woman elder in the church of 
Christ. When Paul tells Titus the character such 
must have, when describing the character and 
duties of the elder men, or men elders, he adds, 
“That the elder women,” or women elders “ like¬ 
wise shall be in behavior as becometh holiness; 
not false accusers, not given to wine, teachers of 
good things .” (Titus 2:3.) Like the men elders 
they are teachers in the church. 

Paul says the diakonos were ministers by 
whom the saints at Corinth believed; (1 Cor 3: 5) 
and then to the church at Rome he says Phebe 
was a minister from the church at Cenchrea, (Ro. 
16: 1) so that if Paul, Apollos and Cephas were 
teachers by whom men believed—(Faith comes by 
hearing the word)—then Phebe was also a minis¬ 
ter of the word from Cenchrea. There can be no 
mistake here. 


380 The King and His Kingdom 

Paul to Timothy says, he “would that men 
pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without 
wrath or doubting’’; and in the same manner the 
women also, in becoming attire.” (1 Tim. 2: 8.) 
This does not mean in private, for what difference 
would the attire make in private? “Everywhere” 
means any conspicuous place, where men may 
pray there women may pray also. But not with 
gaudy dress, of bows, and furbelows, and costly 
guildings for display; but in modesty as becometh 
women professing godliness. 

In his letter to the church at Corinth Paul 
sa} r s, (1 Cor. 11: 5) “Every woman that prayeth 
or prophesieth, with her head uncovered, etc. 
Then she may pray, and prophesy, when in proper 
attire. Here prophesy is added to prayer. Proph¬ 
esy means encouragement, inspiration to hope, 
exhortation. She may take part in this also; 
everywhere, anywhere, in the church assembled, 
or out of it, in private or public, if done with 
shamefacedness and sobriety. 

But not with guildings, and trappings, and 
jewels, and hair embroidered, and wordlv display, 
and brazen effrontery. 

But Paul says, “Let your women keep silent 
in the assemblies for it is not permitted unto them 
to speak, but they are commanded to be under 
obedience.” * * * “It is a shame for a woman 
to speak in the church.” 


Female Elders 


381 


Now if the above applies to everything in the 
church; if a woman violates it she is as guilty as 
was Eve. If she is made to think the Lord did 
not mean what he said; she is influenced by the 
same spirit which led Eve to her ruin. 

God certainly means just what he says, and if 
we violate His precepts, we must suffer the same, 
as did Israel of old. “Rebellion is as the sin of 
witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and 
idolitary.” (1 Sam. 16: 23) Death and ruin will 
surely follow in the wake of all such. Let us see. 
Paul says, “your wives.’’ This would be a proper 
rendering. From Genesis to Revelations the hus¬ 
band is counted the head of the wife, and there is 
nothing more disgraceful to a woman or embar¬ 
rassing in society than lor a wife to take the lead 
in conversation and entertainment eyen at home; 
but how much more so in public assemblies. How 
many have noticed the annoyance produced by a 
nervous, sensative, wife coming in collision with 
her husband. If she is such a wife as the bible 
teaches her to be, and demands that she must 
be if she fully understands that God has appoint¬ 
ed a head in every relation; and in His wisdom 
has seen fit to place man at the head of the family; 
not only in the gospel dispensation, as Paul 
argues; (1 Cor. 14: 34-37) but also by the law; 
and in the government of the patriarchs. 

She has always been counted the weaker ves¬ 
sel. If she comes into physical collision with 


382 


The King and His Kingdom 


man, she as a class must submit. And as we will 
surely show she has a power transcendently above 
the man. Is woman the equal of the man? I 
answer. No. Is man superior to the woman? 
Again the response is. No! They cannot be com¬ 
pared. In frame, in cast of mind, it style of thought, 
in sympathy, in heart force, in physical action, in 
mental power, in the gentle qualities, they are not 
the same. I speak of them as a class. 

There are some masculine women, and some 
effeminate men, who border near the line; but all 
have little use for a man made out of a woman, or 
a woman made out of a man. Coarse and heart¬ 
less is the masculine woman; and weak, and in- 
siped is the effeminate man. The former makes a 
tyrant, and the latter makes—just nothing. 

A woman does not reason; but comes to her 
conclusions in a manner all her own. Her sensi¬ 
tive nature catches hold of a proposition, as if by 
inspiration, and her answer is ready in a moment. 
You might as well throw sawdust at a bridge 
pier, as attempt to reason with her then. State a 
few facts, and wait, and from some other stand¬ 
point her sensitive nature will by her intuition see 
it all again; and perhaps right this time. What 
woman with her sensitive nerves, vibrating with 
every touch into strange sweet music like an eolian 
harp, catches by intuition; man must reach by 
plodding through labyrinths of logic. But the 


Female Elders 


383 


road by which he gets there once, will, if he takes 
the same premises as his guide posts, bring him 
there again. His route, from the same starting 
point to the conclusion, is unchangeable as the 
laws of the ancient Medes and Persians; and hence 
if he is once right he is quite likely to remain. But 
she is likely to change, with the change of her 
environments. With such heterogeneous qualities 
we find a great dissimilarity in power. In proph¬ 
esy—exhortation—and prayer she will move an 
audience at once; for people largely act from im¬ 
pulse; not from thought, or faith. 

Joan of Arc, could, by her impulse hurl an 
army into the jaws of death, or into victory, 
which a general of thought and fame could not 
hold under fire an hour. In prayer, and prophetic 
consolation, and encouragement, she has man’s 
moving powers multiplied; but as a teacher she is 
quite unsafe. Too strong her impulses, and too 
weak her faculties for reason, to establish people 
in the faith. She can produce feeling enough; but 
such converts do not last. James says, “It is our 
faith that overcomes the world”; but all experi¬ 
ence, and observation testifies that the world will 
overcome our emotions. This is the reason Paul 
gives, why she may not be a teacher of the men. 
“I suffer not a woman to teach, or usurp author¬ 
ity over men.” 

All the authority there is in the church is that 
of teaching. No police force is needed in the king- 


384 


The King and His Kingdom 


dom. By teaching the elders govern; and not by 
dogmatism. To appeal to the impulse of the un¬ 
taught, is unsafe. You may lead them for awhile, 
but they are sure to go back. The elders rule by 
teaching the word of God. This gives the power, 
and glory to the King. Appeals to the emotions, 
give the glory to the preacher. The one is faith, 
the other feeling. 

A half a century ago our brethren sought for 
faith; but when the churches wanting multitudes 
of converts, the preachers dropped the preaching 
of the word, and adopted illegitimate means to 
reach the emotions, and often times a wonderful 
meeting has been the ruin of the church. 

Paul says Adam was not deceived. Eve, by 
her attractions, led him with eyes wide open. She 
was deceived, but he was not. With the smile of 
a coquet “she gave to him and he did eat.” She 
with her impulsive nature is liable to be led astray; 
and then by her attractions, lead the man to ruin; 
as did the daughters of men—the children of Cain 
whom God has discarded, and branded—lead 
astray the sons of God—those of God’s family 
through Abel, and Seth; whom the Lord claimed 
as his own-by their charms and perfidy, into viol¬ 
ence, wickedness, and all evil imaginations, when 
brought into intimate associations. (Gen. 6: 1). 
The mother controls the child, and if she votes, 
not now, she will vote in the next generation 


Female Elders 


385 


through her boy. ’Tis^ necessary therefore, the 
teaching should be kept in steady hands. 

Scarcely a woman can raise her boy aright, 
without a father’s teaching. She can spread sail 
enough, for his little life boat; but the father is 
needed at the helm. 

Yet she is a grand helper in the sphere, in which 
God has placed her. In this there is wisdom di¬ 
vine. I pity the woman that cannot see it; and 
does not realize the powers God has given her. 
’Tis very unfortunate, that sometimes, like some 
men, she gets a mania to “spout;” and leaves 
daddy to care for the wee ones, at home. 

But does not Paul speak of female elders? (Tit. 
2: 3 and 1 Tim. 5: 2) and of Phebe as a female 
minister? (Ro. 16: 1) and how could they per¬ 
form their work, but by discourse in the church of 
God? 

Let us then, seek to know who are the deacon¬ 
esses, or female ministers, in the church; and what 
is their work. 

When Paul went into Macedonia, he besought 
Timothy to abide at Ephesus, that he might cor¬ 
rect the teachings of some, and charge all that 
they give no heed to fables, and genealogies, and 
questions of no profit but to the subverting of the 
hearers; and to teach all the ministry of Ephesus 
their duties; and to appoint others, when needed, 
to the work. To teach the women their place and 


386 


The King and His Kingdom 


duty in the church; defining the character and 
work of the female ministers. Having clearly 
shown the qualifications of the elders whom he 
shall appoint; (1 Tim. 3: 1) he also tells Timothy 
the qualifications which must be posessed by the 
minister; (diakonos) (verse 8) and that also of his 
wife, (verse 11). He also speaks of the effect of 
ministering properly, upon the minister himself, as 
acquiring a confidence in the faith, and an honor¬ 
able standing. He also explains how he shall 
treat the elders, both male and female (Chap. 5: 
1-2.) Hethensays, “Letnot a widow be taken into 
the number (verse 9). What number? Of the 
saints? No. It must be the number of officials. 
Number of the eldership; for that is what he is talk¬ 
ing about. Not her qualifications as a good bread 
maker. And as one who is able to set the table 
nicely. For shame! Paul knew no such deacon¬ 
ess in the primitive church. These were simply 
known as helps appointed by the eldership—the 
ministry—for such work. 

The deaconess of which Paul wrote must be a 
widow over sixty years old; having been but once 
married, and having reared her children well, and 
been hospitable to strangers, and humbly washed 
the saints, feet when needed, and relieved the 
afflicted ones with alacrity and pleasure, and as be¬ 
ing well attested to every good work. This shows 
the qualifications required. 


Female Elders 


387 


Paul tells Timothy to refuse the young widows; 
and the reason he gives for their refusal gives a 
clear inkling of the work she is to perform. Going 
from house to house they would soon learn to be 
idle, and meddlesome, and talkers, and tattlers, 
and busy-bodies in matters belonging to others. 
This shows that her work was from house to 
house; and she was expected to know much of the 
affairs of others. Of course, when taken into the 
number, she must be free from the faults, to which 
her work would incline her. 

Then, what is her work? What is she appoint¬ 
ed to do? And how will she do it? This Paul 
makes plain in his letter to Titus; (Chap. 2: 3) to 
whom he further catalogues her qualifications 
and tells what is her work. 

“But speak thou the things which become 
sound doctrine; (teaching) that the aged women 
(or women elders) be in behavior as becometh 
holiness; not false accusers; nor given to wine; but 
teachers of good things.” This shows that they 
are teachers in the church, and bring accusations 
against those who sin. If not allowed to accuse 
there would be no danger of accusing falsely; and 
like male elders they must be “apt to teach.” 

“That they may teach the young women to be 
affectionate to their husbands, and children, 
prudent, discreet, good, domestic, and submissive 
to their own husbands; that the word of God be 


388 The King and His Kingdom 

not blasphemed.” This is her work. Paul “suffers 
not a woman to teach and usurp authority over 
the many To assume, in the church, authority 
over the men; by taking to themselves the instruc¬ 
tion for which they are incompetent, and unsafe; 
but she may pray, and exhort, (prophesy) for 
which by nature she is well qualified. Yea! All 
may do that; the younger as well as the elder, if 
not so showy, and foolishly attired, as would 
show more pride than piety. The work of the 
female elder is to visit the homes, and from house 
to house, teach the younger women their duties in 
all the relations of life; especially as wives, and 
mothers, with sobriety, chastity, discretion, and 
submission; that if any have unbelieving husbands, 
they may be led by the chaste conversation of 
their wife, coupled with fear, to the service of 
Christ; (1 Pet. 3: 1-5) “that the word of God 
be not blasphemed; while their own children are 
well trained in the fear of the Lord, and in the 
acknowledgment of His word. There is a wonder¬ 
ful need of such women today; to call the young 
women together and teach them to pray, and how 
to serve God acceptably, with reverence and fear; 
and be true helpers in the kingdom of heaven. 

We are needing more teachers that teach. Less 
gush and more truth; that saints may be sancti¬ 
fied, and sinners brought into the fold, by the gos¬ 
pel of Christ. 


Female Elders 


389 


God made woman for a companion in life. 
Her sphere is eminently social. When in her proper 
sphere she has wonderful powers. W T herever her 
talent is properly used; she can make converts 
without number; as did the daughters of Cain. 
But none can tell to what, they will be converted; 
whether to God or the devil. That will depend 
upon her own heart’s culture, and the faith by 
which she has stored in her mind the wonderful 
things of God’s word. Let her open her own 
mind, and heart, to be taught before she would 
fain seek to teach. 

Her sphere is home. ’Tis there she sits, a 
queen. It is the American Christian homes, that 
gives us, our American Christian civilization. 

On bended knees, beside a little bed the mother 
teaches the little lisping lips to say, “Our Father 
who art in heaven.” 

The prayer the mother offers over that dear 
child, is heard through generations coming; and 
God knows how much farther. 

If she loves God, and home, and the children 
God has given her, she can’t afford to give up 
home, and all home means to her, and to the 
world, and to heaven, for the rostrum. 

And if she does not love all these, the rostrum 
does not need her—does not want her. 


390 The King and His Kingdom 

It was the wife and mother, with twelve well 
trained babes, around her, gave to the world, the 
Wesleys. 

Happy is the woman who from heaven,, 
preaches through her boy. And happy is the boy, 
who sighs for heaven, because he will meet his 
mother there. The influence of the home is never 
lost. But for the mother’s home influence, the 
church would soon go down. No wonder God 
has placed a woman’s department in its officiary. 
Something more than setting the table on Sunday. 

Aquila took Apollos to his home, and with his 
noble wife Priscilla, taught him the way of the 
Lord more perfectly. That home furnished the 
church with a most eloquent preacher. 

Thus ’tis needed that a minister be appointed 
to teach young wives their duties to their children, 
their husband, and their God, in their homes, ’till 
all shall sing of 

“Home sweet home,” 

and thanking God shall sing in louder stains 
“There is no place like home.” 

I never knew a great man, but he traced his 
greatness, and goodness, largely to his mother’s 
home influence; or the encouragement he has re¬ 
ceived from some woman’s home. 

In her home is her element. She there sits a 
queen; and her work is prayer, and prophesy—de¬ 
votion and encouragement to all. 


CHAPTER XXXVII. 

FOUNDATION. 

God says by Isaiah “Behold I lay in Zion for 
a foundation, a stone; a tried stone; a precious 
corner stone; a sure foundation. He that belie veth 
shall not make haste.” (Is. 28: 16). 

Peter says 1 Pet. 2:6: “Behold I place in Zion 
for a foundation, a corner-stone chosen and hon¬ 
orable, and the one believing on to it shall not be 
ashamed.” 

As there can be no system without a center; 
no body or church without a head; or no govern¬ 
ment without a constitution; so the kingdom of 
heaven must have a foundation, chosen and prec¬ 
ious, that is the embodiment of all authority and 
to which every citizen must subscribe. All His 
subjects must be willing subjects. To His author¬ 
ity they must willingly subscribe, as the King of 
the kingdom to whom all power is given. 

You can have no society without a constitu¬ 
tion, as the basis thereof. Free Masons, Odd 
Fellows, Good Templars, et al., must have a con¬ 
stitution as the basis of all authority—the end of 
all controversy. 


391 


392 


The King and His Kingdom 


The aims of both the Free Masons and the Odd 
Fellows may be the same but the seperate con¬ 
stitution, however similar, shuts the members of 
one society from the privilege, and benefits of the 
other. With designs the same, and forms similar, 
there is no common fellowship between them. 

So also with the Good Templars, and the Sons 
of Temperance. The end to be reached—the ob¬ 
ject of the two societies, is the same; but they can 
never unite into one society ’till one or both change 
their name. To unite with one does not give you 
any priveleges with, or make you a member of 
the other. 

Being benevolent, or temperate, does not make 
you a Mason or Templer. 

So in the rebellion of states, they did not 
change the territory, nor the form of government; 
but simply the constitution, and the name; and 
the result was a conflict unto death. They or¬ 
ganized a nation with the same form, with its ex¬ 
ecutive, legislative and judicial department; its 
president, and its upper and lower houses; its 
states, counties, towns, and cities, and simply 
changed the name from “United States,” to “Con¬ 
federate States,” both meaning the same thing in 
reality; and yet it was a seperate organization. 
It was a rebellion and terrible were the conse¬ 
quences that followed. 


Foundation 


393 


Four million men met in a conflict the most 
bloody and fought ’till nearly every home in the 
nation was draped. The history of the world tells 
of no conflict so furious. And yet these Confeder¬ 
ate States, copied their constitution from the con¬ 
stitution of the United States; and both were re¬ 
publics in form; but the existence of one made it 
rebellion against the other. 

It is strange how little difference there was be¬ 
tween them. But you cannot have two constitu¬ 
tions for one society, or build two societies on one 
constitution. 

You cannot build two houses on one founda¬ 
tion; nor divide the house without dividing the 
foundation. You cannot have two constitutions 
for the same government. Let Spain, England, or 
Mexico, adopt two and the result must be war. 

It is the same in the stellar systems; there can 
be but one center for each. 

Introduce another centre and you must form an¬ 
other system. The old system is broken up, and 
fatal must be the results to that which has been. 

As in nature so in grace, the System of Re¬ 
demption must have its center, and around that 
center every orb must revolve in its proper orbit. 

God’s church, His kingdom, must have its 
foundation upon which all must be built; and to 
the authority of which all must subscribe. 


394 


The King and His Kingdom 


It was God’s promise to place in it, a sure 
foundation; a stone that was tried, elect, precious, 
that could not be moved. 

Paul says that foundation was Christ. “Other 
foundations can no man lay than that which is 
laid; which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 3: 11.) 

He is the autocrat of the government of 
heaven; its wisdom, its sanctification, and redemp¬ 
tion. He holds the authority, all authority and 
power. 

But we are not built on the person of Christ, 
but the authority of Christ. 

When Jesus led His disciples into the country 
of Cesarea Phillippi; by the way, He asked 
them: “Whom do men say that I, the son of man, 
am?” And they answered, “Some say thou art John 
the Baptist; some Elias; and others Jeremias or 
one of the prophets.” He said unto them, “But 
whom say ye that I am?” Simon Peter answered 
and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living 
God.” 

Jesus replied, telling him that on this rock he 
would build His church. Not on Peter, masculine 
gender; but on this rock, petra neuter gender. He 
would build His church; and the passage through 
the gates of hades will not prevail against my 
building it. He does not say the gates of hell 
shall not prevail against the church; but the gates 
of death shall not stop the building of His church 


Foundation 


395 


on that foundation; the acknowledgement of His 
Divine Sonship—His lordship Divine. 

The confession of Jesus as the Son of God 
means something in the Divine plan. It means 
that He is God’s anointed; a Prince, andaSaviour. 

It means that Pie is head over all; Lord and 
Redeemer; the King of all kings; the blessed and 
only potentate; the highly exalted Son of the 
Highest, and is lawgiver to all. 

It means that we take Him as our wisdom, 
and place ourselves under His direction, and coun¬ 
sel unhesitatingly; and yield our lives up to Plis 
guidance; taking Him as our all, and in all, God 
blessed forever; our prophet to instruct, our priest 
to mediate, and our King to command. 

It brings us into the most devoted reverence, 
the most humble submission, with the highest pos¬ 
sible conception of His purity, wisdom, and love. 

If from our hearts that confession is made, it 
brings us into the most careful obedience to His 
name, and all He may teach we will do, and un¬ 
hesitatingly, we will follow wherever He leads. It 
exalts His authority and places Him high overall, 
God blessed forever, and brings us to our knees in 
His presence. His church is built on that, and that 
only. It is the one article of the creed of His 
saints. 

The church rests upon the personal authority 
of Jesus as the word of God—“the wonderful, the 


396 


The King and His Kingdom 


counselor, the great and mighty God, the everlast¬ 
ing Father, and the Prince of peace.” (Is.) 

The corner stone of the church, is the absolute 
authority of the Lord Jesus—the word of God. 

Here all true believers can unite; and all who 
thus believe will be one. Don’t think Jesus prayed 
for what will not be fulfilled. All who believe on 
Him through the apostles’ preaching will, and 
always have been, one. It is those who believe on 
Him through some other teaching who secede. On 
Christ you can build but one church. Roman 
Catholicism is built on the Pope as the successor 
of Peter and the Anglican church accepted Henry 
the Eighth in secession from Rome; the M. E. on 
its method, and the Presbyterian on its form of 
church polity; as is the Congregational church; 
and the Baptist church; on its manner of baptiz¬ 
ing and so of all others. 

Roman Catholicism claims to be built on Peter 
and the authority of his successor, and the Anglican 
church on John and the authority of his successor. 
All are built on church polity, and are as numer¬ 
ous as the theories thereof; but the church of God 
is built on the authority absolute of the Messiah, 
as the King eternal, immortal, and invisible; the 
only wise God our Saviour, to whom be glory and 
honor forever. 

In the glad tidings preached in His name, the 
exaltation, glorification and authority is the 


Foundation 


397 


theme of the minister sent, and His laws and re¬ 
quirements is the testimony of apostles and 
prophets, and the Holy Spirit sent down from 
Him out of heaven. And all people who receive 
their testimony by faith—“believe on Him through 
their testimony”—will as certainly be one as He 
and the Father are one so they also will be one in 
Him. 

Nothing more strange about it, than for those 
who accept the teaching of the Pope of Rome to 
be one; or those who receive by faith the teaching 
of the various churches, and remain of one mind 
and of one judgment. When they doubt any part 
of the teaching, they form a schism in the church 
to which they belong, as the various division of 
Methodism, and Presbyterianism demonstrate. 
The unity of the church is kept by the unity of 
faith in its head; and the prayer of Jesus is heard, 
and all who believe on Him as the word of God; 
the light of life; the King eternal, prophet and 
priest of the New Testament, will be one. Where 
there is division there is a lack of the faith required 
unto salvation. 

Some are deceived; and if deceived, Satan has 
deceived them; and how far that deception goes 
before, from God’s standpoint, it reaches heathen¬ 
ism God knoweth. Surely the man deceived has 
not the Holy Spirit; but like Eve is in the trans- 


398 The King and His Kingdom 

gression, equally with Adam, who willfully sinned 
but was not deceived. (1 Tim. 2: 10-14.) 

Thus the man on another foundation is in an¬ 
other church; another kingdom; under another 
government—another King. This may seem un¬ 
charitable to others but it is loyalty to Christ. 
Many have sacrificed their charity towards God, 
for sake of charity for sinners whom God will 
damn. I surely would desire no more charity than 
the Master has taught me. 

“Let God be true though every man a liar.” 


CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

SUMMARY. 

At the risk of repetition and redundancy, I will 
present a summary of what I have argued on the 
duties, and relations of evangelists to the church. 

First of all, let me say that every boy that can 
“spout,” is not an evangelist. Nor are evangel¬ 
ists self-appointed. Too important is the work 
for those that are unprepared, and untried, to 
start out under the advice of no one; to preach 
what they see fit, with no one to restrain; unless 
it be some old man of God; and he is soon silenced 
by a cry of “fogy” among the young; and a threat 
that he will be voted down, and out, unless he 
subsides. Nor is he some young man, that the 
babes of the church have “ called ” by a majority of 
the flesh, with carnality prevailing above that 
which is spiritual. 

The preachers call such a vote, “a call”; but 
the people get to the inwardness of the matter, 
and say we have “hired him.” Yes! And he is 
their hireling; and is working for the money that 
is in it; and is under the control of his employers; 
and he, and they, both so consider it. 


399 


400 The King and His Kingdom 

The question is how can we get out of this 
bondage, and into the liberty of the children of 
light? 

Every appeal thus made, is through the carnal 
likes, and dislikes, of those undeveloped in spirit¬ 
ual things. 

“And I, bretheren, could not speak unto you as 
unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto 
babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and 
not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to 
bear it; neither yet now are ye able. For while 
one saith I am of Paul; and another saith I am of 
Apollos; are ye not carnal? For ye are yet car¬ 
nal; for whereas there is among you enjoying, and 
strife, and division, are ye not carnal and walk as 
men? Who then is Paul? and who is Apollos? but 
ministers by whom ye believed?” (1 Cor. 3:1-5). 
See also Chapter 1: 1-13. 

Such division, and strife is engendered in every 
church whenever such a question is broached. And 
especially among those young in the cause, and 
undeveloped in spiritual things. 

But what is the worse feature is, that the 
more carnal the people, the more they will cleave 
to the most carnal among the preachers; and they, 
most in need of spiritual preaching, and teaching, 
will be the least likely to receive it; for their ears 
will be turned from the truth unto fables. 

That prophesy of Paul, 2 Tim. 4: 3, is not far 
from fulfillment when religious books must be 


Summary 


401 


written, to be read in the style of “On the Rock,” 
“Ben Hur,” “Pillar of Fire,” etc., instead of the 
style of teaching in the name of God. 

How then must the work be started, and car¬ 
ried on? How was it in the early days of the 
church? How in the early days of the reforma¬ 
tion? under Campbell, Scott, Stone, and others? 
How should it be? 

A place is selected that should hear the truth; 
and an accredited preacher is sent there to preach 
it. He should not be a boy filled all full of gush, 
and no gospel. He should be a man tried, and 
known, and well proven. He should not be self 
sent, nor “called” by the people who are mostly 
ungodly. He should be an evangelist such as 
Christ, having ascended, gave to men. Not one 
self styled, self appointed, and self sent; and re¬ 
markable most of all for his conceit and ignorance. 
He should be selected by ministers of age, experi¬ 
ence, and study, who are known to the saints, 
and whose praise is in all the churches, and who 
has been approved of God by a right division of 
the word. 

His selection should be from qualifications, and 
these qualities should be such as the Lord de¬ 
mands. “He must be of honest report.” Not of 
no reputation. He must have a reputation. His 
character must be known, and reported as honest; 
for he is to handle the Lord’s money. ’Tis not 


402 The King and His Kingdom 

enough that he has not a reputation for dishon¬ 
esty. A negative reputation will not do. He must 
have a reputation, and it must be for honesty—for 
every thing that is good. One whose life and 
character can be defended, if need be. 

One whom the saints are not afraid, nor 
ashamed to endorse. When one comes around 
whispering that the preachers are all jealous of 
him, I know “There is something rotten in Den¬ 
mark.” You will soon find that there is nothing 
in him to be jealous of. The multitude of the 
saints must look up his reputation, and report. 

He must be full of spirit—(not Holy Spirit in 
the Greek; see New Translations.) He must be 
full of understanding—knowledge of things, and 
especially of that which he is sent to preach. 

Not a novice who has committed a few ser¬ 
mons to memory and can recite them glibly. Such 
would do to go with a Paul, or a Peter, and 
practice under their direction, and who would 
watch him, that he did not commit the wrong ser¬ 
mons, such as Talmage’s, Spurgeon’s, Springs’, or 
Beecher’s, more windy in rhetoric, than instruct¬ 
ive in logic, and in truth—the word of truth. 

So much depends upon the right preaching 
that if an angel preaches wrong, he will be a curse 
to the world, and God will curse him. (Gal. 1: 
9.9.) 


Summary 


403 


It is a terrible thing to be wrong, and lead men 
estray. If one err, from the truth, and you con¬ 
vert him, you have saved a soul from death. 
(James 5: 19.) Error means death, and hell. Not 
only to the preacher, but also to the hearer who is 
led into error by his higher criticism, evolution, or 
“science, falsely so-called.” 

His understanding should be carefully adjudged 
by the minister God has sent. Not the ministry 
the people have “called”— “hired” 

Every little freshman, starting out from some 
college to spout , and take up a collection, is not 
an evangelist. 

“He must be full of wisdom.” He must know 
how to properly conduct himself, and the things 
which he has in charge, discerning, prudent, wise, 
discreet, and happy in the application of things. 

Such is the kind of a man the apostles would 
choose. (See Acts 6: 3.) 

And the people selected “Stephen, a man full 
of faith.” He believed the word of God, and 
trusted it. He had not compromised the Holy 
Oracles to Greek philosophy, and with higher 
critics. He believed it. He believed it all—the 
story of Jonah and of Joshua. “And of the Holy 
Spirit.” 

Not only was he a man of understanding—of 
spirit; but he understood the things of God. 
Listen to his debate with the Jews, and you will 


404 


The King and His Kingdom 


form some idea of what it is to have an under¬ 
standing of God—the Holy Spirit. 

This description is characteristic of the other 
six. These were set before the apostles with the 
testimony of the multitude in their favor. They 
were thoroughly known, and vouched for; and the 
apostles appointed them. 

In that way should a man be selected, and ap¬ 
pointed, and he should go out with the endorse¬ 
ment of the whole ministry, chosen of God. Not 
by a few baby-chosen-elders, with one script¬ 
ural qualification-a foolish girl perhaps, consented 
to marry them. 

Thus endorsed, they go out with the confi¬ 
dence of all who are willing to accept the testi¬ 
mony of their fellows. Thus doubts, and scandal, 
are checked, before they begin. Such need no 
* ‘church letter” from some little, unknown congre¬ 
gation, down in Wooded Valley, or on Barren 
Creek. 

Such, are set apart to their work in the most 
solemn, and prayful manner, and with the cere¬ 
mony of the imposition of hands, make it an epoch 
in their lives. With this endorsement it will be 
hard for every illmanneredly sinner who has been 
reproved by him, to get up a scandal against him, 
to ruin his influence. 

Nor will there be little jealousies arising among 
preachers, running like politicians for a place—an 


Summary 


405 


office. Nor will they have to preach to please a 
few old ignoramuses, or lose their position. Peo¬ 
ple can accept their preaching, or like Judas, go to 
their own place; or like some in apostolic days, be 
given over to satan till they learn not to blas¬ 
pheme; nor can a little, ungodly set, hatch up a 
faction, and vote them out. Such are sent of God; 
not called of men. 

Of such an evangelist, and his qualifications, 
Paul more fully speaks, under the title of cfrakon os, 
in his letters to Titus and Timothy. 

“He must be grave, not double tongued, not 
given to much wine; not greedy of filthy lucre; 
holding the mystery of the faith—(the gos¬ 
pel)—in a pure conscience”—judgment of the mind 
—understanding. (1 Tim. 3: 8-9.) 

“Holding faith, and a good conscience”—good 
understanding. (1 Tim. 1: 19.) 

In this he must be first proven, and then he 
may minister, or serve. He is proven by going 
with some older, and well tried, evangelist, as 
Timothy, Titus, Epaphras, et ah; with Paul, until 
well known in the work. 

Such are sent to an undeveloped church, like 
Ephesus; (1 Tim. 1: 3) or to a church out of order 
like Crete; (Titus 1: 5) to rebuke the stubborn, 
correct the erring, and set in order things that are 
wanting. 


406 


The King and His Kingdom 

They reprove, rebuke and exhort with all 
authority; appoint elders, if they find any qualfied, 
and if none are qualified they tarry to qualify 
them by teaching them duties under God. 

And if there is no material to make elders 
among them, they import it and settle a pastor 
over them; who remains, under his watch-care, to 
guide and teach the church; not himself to be gov¬ 
erned by a few novices; or conceited old barnacles, 
who have set themselves up to take the watch- 
care of the preacher, instead of the flock. He 
selects his “board,” of “helps,” etc., with whom 
to advise, and whose counsel will be of help to 
him in his work. The few most carnal, and there¬ 
fore most officious, do not vote in an ‘‘Official 
Board,” contrary to every bible precept, and pre¬ 
cedent, to take matters out of his hands, and act 
without his advice, or consent; who instead of 
seeking advice from his experience, and study,they 
take him under their control as a hireling; and if 
he cannot be subdued by the fear of expulsion, 
they will raise the devil, and destroy his influence; 
and to do farther good in the world, he must 
move far away, “where their voice is not heard.” 
And they will even then, follow him with letters, 
detrimental to his work. 

Should he call for an investigation there is no¬ 
body politic to investigate; or with any author¬ 
ity to set things in order. Or if he is guilty of 


Summary 


407 


heresy the most damnable, there is no one to stop 
the injury done, or decide what is truth, but a few 
babes in Christ, who have come in under his own 
heretical teaching. 

If the Lord Jesus has set up such a system in 
His government, I don’t wonder if satan laughs; 
for every convert made, is but a strengthening of 
the powers of darkness. 

When Israel had forgotten the law of the 
Lord, and found their joy in their boasted num¬ 
bers, Jesus said they compassed sea and land to 
make proselytes, and when they made them they 
were two-fold more the children of hell, than 
themselves. 

So we as a people are going from bad to 
worse, till carnality is the basis of our church 
government, and ignorance and conceit, is catered 
to, by those looking for, or trying to hold a place. 
No wonder cowardice prevails, and a lack of faith¬ 
fulness, is apparent in the ministry, who, are at¬ 
tempting to do by racing among the people; kissing 
the babies, flattering the mothers, shaking hands 
Sundays, and smiling, and simpering, all the week; 
what should be done by preaching the word, 
teaching Christ, reproving sin, rebuking iniquity, 
and warning every man, and teaching every man 
that he may present every man perfect in Christ 
Jesus. (2 Tim. 4: 1-8 and Cal. 1: 23.) 


408 


The King and His Kingdom 


Could our evangelists all go out in the name 
of Christ, and under the direction of the ministry 
Christ has ordained, to set in order what could be 
set in order, and “give over to satan to learn not 
to blaspheme,” that disorderly element that can 
not be “set in order,” we would soon have double 
the influence, with half the numbers. And then 
soon double the numbers by our influence; as na¬ 
tions would see our order and steadfastness. 

These evangelists, under the advisement of all 
the diakonate under Christ, would act as elders, 
pastors, or bishops in the churches, till men could 
be developed, or imported, to take their place in 
cities or places where they have worked; and thus 
liberated, they would go elsewhere, to repeat that 
which has been accomplished here. 

This is the Lord’s plan, and it takes but little 
foresight to behold the harmony and success of its 
workings. 

If then some of these diakonos , or minister, is 
charged with immoral practices, there is a tribunal 
before which they can be brought, whose influence 
in the church is transcendantly above their own; 
as was Alexander, and Hymeneus, before Paul, 
and Diotrephes before John, who will rebuke the 
guilty, and acquit the innocent, without the farce 
of a trial before partisans, with the disgraceful 
scandal of Sioux City and elsewhere. 


Summary 


409 


And if they are guilty of teaching heresy, they 
can be looked after by those competent to judge 
of heresy, before they have led many to ruin, and 
the church to dishonor and disunion. 

Now, how is it? An editor can write, or pub¬ 
lish what he pleases, and a preacher can preach 
what he will, higher criticism, lower criticism, the 
distinction between faith and belief, etc., and there 
is no relief from heresies untold. 

When Campbell, or Errett was in the chair 
editorial, and our ministry were students of the 
bible; instead of German philosophy, popular litur- 
ature, and “science so-called ,” there was room 
enough for the discussion of all that then came up, 
and intellect, and influence enough, to correct 
what was erroneous and misleading. But with 
our papers controlled as they now are; the Chris¬ 
tian Evangelist so thoroughly Garrisoned against 
all opposition; the Christian Standard lorded over 
by one Lord among many; and the Christian 
Century—100 years—loaded upon one Campbell— 
a “Bactri an” with two humps, carrying a dif¬ 
ferent church upon each hump; with each paper 
getting pets to write “symposiums,” that will 
strengthen their own heretical, and unscriptural 
views; and holding the veterans in restraint by a 
dread of being attacked with one-sided articles, 
without opportunity for response; and by favor, 
and flattery, getting up as large circulations as 


410 


The King and His Kingdom 


possible; there is little hope of restraining the peo¬ 
ple from running into heresies, the most damnable, 
while everyone, as in Israel of old, does what ever 
seems good in his sight; since in Israel there is no 
judge, and no judgment. For the above para¬ 
graph “I give my back to the smiters* and my 
cheek to them who pluck off my hair.” 

A proper officer, properly sent will teach the 
church the true system of finance; and the Lord’s 
requirement of equality among the saints. 

He will establish an exchequer in the kingdom, 
so that the Lord’s house will not be one vast 
begging institution, with lotteries, and grab-bags, 
“ hocus-pocus ” games, suppers, etc., to help pay 
expenses. All appeals to the flesh by such “chican¬ 
ery” will be dispensed with, and the Lord’s people 
will be taught faith in God’s care, and providences. 

The “pious unimmersed ” will be left out , and 
impious immersed will be cast out , and the saints 
will be taught that if any desire to travel hell- 
ward, the “broad road” is outside of the king¬ 
dom, and easily found. 

Men will be taught to make their contribu¬ 
tions to Christ; and the money thus contributed, 
will be put into the Lord’s treasury, to be dis¬ 
tributed by the Lord’s ministry, as the saints of 
old cast their contributions at the feet of the 
apostles; and such “carnal subscriptions as we 
often see; of $50 for this man, or $20 for that one, 
and nothing for another, will be unheard of. 


Summary 


411 


The Lord’s treasury will be supplied, and the 
man of God will be “sent” and not “called” 

It may be said, that, it will not work. But it 
has been tried, and it has worked among the 
Methodist. Thus a bonus will not be offered to 
the sneak, the sycophant, and the hypocrite, 
but men will contribute to the Lord, and the work, 
and the power, and the glory, will be the Lord’s. 
Boys will not be out advertising themselves like 
quack doctors; but they will be tried and proven, 
and sent out when competent, and where needed. 
And the Lord’s kingdom will be worked after the 
Lord’s system. We are far from being back to the 
“Old Jerusalem gospel” yet. Many other things 
were then taught, besides baptism for remission. 

The efforts of the ministry will be to the perfect¬ 
ing of the saints, the edifying of the body of Christ, 
till all come into the fulness of the stature of Christ 
Jesus; into perfect manhood, and purity, and love; 
and proselyting will be done by others seening our 
order, and good works; being led thereby to 
glorify our Father in heaven. (Matt. 5: 16.) 

The devil, and the devilish, will not be kept in 
the church because of the payment of a meager 
subscription; but the standard of membership will 
be righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

The man of God will call around him such 
“helps, governments,” etc., for assistance, and 
counsel, as the Lord has authorized; and who are 


412 


The King and His Kingdom 


qualified, and they will take the place of the un- 
scriptural “Board” voted in by the unscriptural 
method of counting the noses of babes in Christ, 
who will vote them out, if they do not cater to 
their whims, and carnality. Men of God will be 
in the lead, and little “curbstone politicians,” who 
have a mania to be elder, will learn that it is 
piety, and godliness, and righteousness, that pre¬ 
vails in the kingdom. 

Saints will not be finding their associations in 
lodges, and clubs; and doing all their good works, 
and benevolence, and piety, in the name of Masons, 
Odd Fellows, Templars and Endeavorers; but the 
Name of Christ will be the synonum of all that is 
pure, and pious, and just, and holy, and benevo¬ 
lent, and fraternal, and loving, and true, and 
philanthropic. 

There will be no other name for man’s salva¬ 
tion, given, nor taught. Christ will be all, and in 
all. 

Preachers will be the represenations of minis¬ 
terial courtesy; not so much among the “sects,”as 
among the “saints,” and little jealousies and dis¬ 
courtesies will not be found among the diakonate ; 
except in cases of an occasional Diotrophes, who 
will soon be weeded out, to go to his own place. 

The praise, in songs, hymns, and psalms, will 
be scripturally studied, and scripturally settled, 
and not left to the carnal wish, and delights of 


Summary 


413 


one; nor the prejudice and stubbornness of the 
other; but settled from the word, by the ministry in 
council; as was the question of the circumcision of 
the gentiles, at the council in Jerusalem; and the 
men of faith will “be of the same mind and iudge- 
ment.” 7 

Thus by careful study, divisions among the 
saints will be avoided, and the decrees of the coun¬ 
cil, will be kept by the churches. (Acts 15). 

The elders in the church will be godly men, 
faithful to the truth, and able to defend it; 
endorsed by all as possessing the qualifications by 
the King commanded; and will be honored and 
esteemed within and without; not because they 
hold the office; but because they £11 the office. 
The blush of shame, will not pass over the congre¬ 
gation whenever they arise to officiate. If the 
tongue of scandal is raised against them, they will 
have a tribunal to which they can appeal, and if 
found innocent, the influence of the whole ministry 
will be on their side to sustain them; but if guilty 
they will be solemnly rebuked before all that 
others may fear (1 Tim. 5: 19-20.) The whole 
working will be harmonious, and defensive of 
truth, and righteousness. 

The flock will not take the oversight of the 
elders, pastors, or bishops; but they will take 
care of the fold, and lead them into green pastures, 
and beside the still waters, under the direction of 


414 


The King and His Kingdom 


the “Chief shepherd,” who will soon appear, with 
a crown of glory, for the faithful to wear. (1 Pet. 
5: 1-5.) 

Pastors will not be “ called ” for the church to 
take charge of, but men will be “sent” to take 
charge of the church—feeding them with the milk 
of the word, that they may grow thereby. 

’Tis said this would destroy the independency 
of church-hood. It can’t destroy that which is 
not. But if by that is meant that a little band of 
untaught and contentious brethren with un¬ 
bounded conceit, down in some dark hollow, call¬ 
ing themselves “The First Church of Christ” can 
preach what they please, act as they please, and 
quarrel as they like; slander the “rulers of God’s 
people” whom the Lord Jesus has sent, and 
whisper, and backbite, and traduce, the minister, 
and destroy the good, that good men could do, by 
their good-for-nothingness, and no one dare say, 
“Why do you so?” and crucified saints can make 
no appeal from their slander, or heresy; and this 
system of brotherhood in Christ, as herein pre¬ 
sented, stops such nonsense, and puts an end to 
such iniquity, and makes God’s people one; I say, 
Yes. It surely does. Thank God! 

If any little band of stubborn souls, wish to 
stand independent, and do as they please; and 
make their hired preacher do as they say; and 
cater to their nod, as a hireling should; cut them 


Summary 


415 


off, and let them stand all alone; and like, the 
rebel King of Samaria, let them send up to Jer¬ 
usalem, and “hire ”a priest, to go down and officiate 
for them. No doubt they could find those who 
would ignore the law of God, and go down. But 
let them know that the church of Christ is in¬ 
dependent of them. 

If they think they have a “right” to do wrong , 
if they please, let thorn go. They will soon find 
themselves “Carried away beyond Babylon” with 
a Higher Critic, Universalist, Unitarian, or In¬ 
fidel preaching for them. Or no one at all. Soon 
none would care to say, “Why do you so?” 

Think of a fraternal order, as the Masons, 
Odd Fellows, or some others, having a lot of in¬ 
dependant societies; who dispute and quarrel, 
slander brethren, and disgrace the whole fraternity 
with their immoral strife, and no one dare say, 
“Why strive thus unlawfully brethren?” 

It should be known, that if a band is independ¬ 
ent of the whole body, the whole body is independ¬ 
ent of them; and they should surely be cut off to 
avoid any stench from their foulness. If not cut 
off the whole body must carry their rottenness, 
without any plan for relief. 

They can “hire” whom they please, to feed 
them what they will enjoy and no soul on earth, 
nor the Lord from heaven dare object; or cares to. 
But it is asked would not this destroy the 


416 


The King and His Kingdom 


majority rule? Majority of what? Of the flesh; 
or the spirit? It would establish the rule of the 
spiritual, and cut off the rule of the untaught, and 
the carnal, who, under the present regime, do all 
the calling, though but little of the paying, and 
not much of the praying. 

Has it ever occured to any, that the minority 
in Congregational churches rule? Especially 
among us? The majority has little to say in a 
church of much piety. 

A few chronic kickers will kick, kick, and keep 
kicking ’till for the sake of peace the pious and 
spiritual will consent to their rule. The result, is 
the preacher dare not rebuke their carnality, lest 
he start all the mules of the church, into kicking, 
’till those who have plead for church union, must 
yield for fear of division—or he will be kicked out. 

But the worst is not yet. When one of these 
old barnacles dies, the preacher in v his panegyrics 
must tell of his flight to the skies. His Bight to 
the skies! What for? To raise hell in heaven? To 
me it is doubtful if, passing the border, will change 
those much, who are crossing the river. 

In his last message to man, the dear Lord says, 
in his picture of heaven: “He that is unjust, let 
him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be 
filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be 
righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy 
still.” Rev. 22: 11). The rest you can add in 
your mind. 


Summary 


417 


But I sometimes question if the yielding of the 
good to the bad, does not savor more of inertia, 
or cowardice, than of piety. 

Methinks if Peter, when he sneaked into the 
judgment hall with a lie on his lips to the maid at 
the door; could have had the same spirit before the 
ascension, that was given him after the ascension he 
would have made that hour hot for the Sanhedrim; 
and the sentence of death to the Christ, would not 
have been quite so unaminious. We sometimes 
praise a spirit that is more carnal, selfish, and 
cowardly, than heavenly, in its manifestations. 

Peter accused the Jews on Pentecost, of cruci¬ 
fying the Lord of glory, when they really had 
nothing to do with it. But they did it, because 
they had nothing to do with it. Had those who 
loved Him been as bold for the right with the 
spirit they then had, as they were fifty days after 
with the spirit God gave them, it is doubtful if 
Pilate would have yielded; or the cry to crucify 
Him, would have won. 

The spirit of truth makes us true to the right, 
and bold in defense of the good. So many will 
stand off and see innocence crucified, for fear of 
contention in its defense. Jesus says, in as much 
as you shall do it to the least of my brethren you 
do it to me.” I have often felt more contempt for 
my friends, than disgust for my enemies. I have 
no use for a friend that will simply stand, and 


418 


The King and His Kingdom 


gape when I am persecuted and make no defense of 
my innocence. If a man has the spirit of Christ, 
let him stand up for the truth in His name, and 
not turn the Lord’s cause over, into the hands of 
those carnal, for fear you may not accord with a 
sickly, sentimental spirit of good-for-nothingness, 
so much praised, by the world out of Christ. Be a 
man. The spirit of Christ will make a man of a 
man; but it can make nothing of a mouse—but a 
mouse. 

No sir. When the majority are pious they 
don’t rule by a count of the noses. That is a rul¬ 
ing of the flesh. 

Piety may fight for the right for a brief space; 
but in the end it must yield to the flesh, that 
will resort to means too base to be met by the true, 
and the noble. 

Slandering, whispering, back-biting, traduc¬ 
ing, surmising, and every evil, will be resorted to 
by the flesh to carry its end, when the question is 
left to the carnality of a vote, 

Who has not seen more political log-rolling in 
a church strife, than in curbstone politics, and 
men once members, but who have not been in the 
house of the Lord for years, brought from the 
ball-room, the saloon, or the brothel, to vote for 
an elder, or perhaps for a preacher. 

But this plan, is not God’s plan. 


Summary 


419 


But ’tis asked if this would not give an oppor¬ 
tunity to another centralization, in an ecclesiastic- 
ism like that of Rome? 

Yes. If God’s organization of His kingdom 
permitted the prostitution of its powers to sup¬ 
port an ecclesiasticism so vast and so devilish, I 
suppose the same organization, would under the 
same environments, be liable to the same perver¬ 
sion. But do we think ourselves wiser than God; 
and thus competent to arrange a system less liable 
to the workings of the mystery of aniquity, which 
began in the days of Paul? as he said. Are we sure 
that the human device, of a popular government 
in His kingdom, would not tend to something a 
thousand times worse, than even the ecclesiastic¬ 
ism of Rome. Even now at this early day churches 
are choosing preachers that deny large portions 
the doctrine which was once most surely believed 
among us, and as Mr. Campbell said in his day, “All 
kinds of men are preaching all kinds of teaching.” 

And the only standard of doctrine is the desire 
of the babes in each church; for they can find some 
man, who will teach anything they desire. 

For my part I am willing to trust God. Then 
if we can keep the carnal in subjection to the spirit¬ 
ual, all evil will be averted. 

I see beauty and harmony in the management 
of the church of Roman Catholicism. The objec¬ 
tion to it, is not in its organization; and the work- 


420 


The King and His Kingdom 


ings of its governmental machinery; but my ob¬ 
jection to it, is in the man of sin sitting m the place 
of God, and declaring himself to be God. 

The organization is almost perfect but the 
creed or confession is wrong. To be a good Catho¬ 
lic you must believe in “Lord God, the Pope,” as 
infallible. To be a Christian you must believe that 
Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. 


CHAPTER XXXIX. 

SALVATION. 

Salvation is a state, like marriage, or citizen¬ 
ship. It is not character; though character, good 
or bad, may follow. To save, means to deliver. 
Salvation, presupposes a lost condition. None 
can be saved until they are lost. “All have sinned 
and come short of the glory of God.” Therefore 
all are lost, and all must be saved, or they will 
continue lost forever. Christ came not to con¬ 
demn the world, but to save the world already 
condemned. 

Man, having sinned, has passed under con¬ 
demnation, and he cannot save himself by works 
of supererogation, for, since righteousness is en¬ 
joined upon all; he cannot become more than 
righteous to offset his failures, where he has come 
short of the fullness of the divine requirements. 
Since therefore he cannot work out his salvation 
having neither time nor energies by which he can 
work to offset what he lacks, since God demands 
it all, Plis salvation must be a free gift. 

But God cannot make this gift to men at the 
sacrifice of His divine attributes. Infinitv has no 


421 


422 The King and His Kingdom 

darling attributes. That which is infinite in the 
whole, must be infinite in all its parts. Justice 
with God is as infinite as love; and one is as darl¬ 
ing to Jehovah as the other. If one is destroyed, 
infinity is sacrificed, and ceases to be perfect. God’s 
love, His mercy, and His grace are all infinite—in¬ 
finite in the divine mind. It is unbounded, and in¬ 
finite love for the lost race, which, by sin has sep- 
erated itself from God. (Is. 59: 1) God said, 
“Your sins have seperated between you and me,” 
and the race had become a wandering prodigal, 
and yet the love of God was perfect in the divine 
mind. Mercy also being infinite in the Eternal and 
these attributes acting upon the divine conscience, 
induced the divine One to show favor—grace means 
favor—to a lost race, who had trampled under 
foot His laws, set at nought His counsels, and 
would none of His reproofs. God’s love, mercy 
and grace, acting upon the Divine, induced God to 
make to man a gift, which in his lost condition he 
so much needed. Hence salvation is not of our¬ 
selves; it is the gift of God; (Eph. 2: 8) and was 
induced through infinite grace, love and mercy, 
acting upon the Divine will. Carefully read Eph. 
2 : 1 - 10 . 

In all this there was no merit. These attri¬ 
butes of Jehovah were found in the Divine mind, and 
are not found in us—in our hearts, only when pre¬ 
sented through the gospel, and by faith taken into 
our consciences. 


Salvation 


423 


Infinity, cannot improve upon infinity. If 
these attributes in God, acting upon the Divine 
conscience, would not cause God to restrain man 
when he was departing from God by sin; they will 
not cause Him to reach out and bring man back 
after he has gone astray. If they had not power 
to restrain, they have not power to restore. There 
must be conditions to satisfy, or man must be lost 
forever. 

Justice is as indefinite with God as love; and 
cannot be sacrificed without destroying God’s in¬ 
finitude. Justice pays all dues. The wages of sin 
is death (Ro. 6: 23). Death is due; and if God will 
not pay the wages of sin, we could not trust Him 
for the wages of righteousness; and salvation by 
faith would be impossible. 

Atonement is acceptance of a part for the sal¬ 
vation of the rest. 

When Saul sinned against the Gideonites, and 
broke the covenant between them and Iseral, God 
sent a famine upon the people for three years; and 
David made inquiry of the Lord why. And the 
Lord answered: it is for Saul and his bloody 
house, because he slew the Gibeonites. 

David did not pray the Lord to pass that by; 
but he sent for the Gibeonites and said. What 
shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make 
atonement that ye may bless the inheritance of the 
Lord? What ye shall say, that will I do. They 


424 The King and His Kingdom 

said, let seven sons of the house of Saul be delivered 
unto us, and we will hang them up unto the Lord 
in Gibeah of Saul. And the King said I will give 
them. And when the atonement was made God 
was entreated for the land. (2 Sam. 21:) Justice 
must be met, and atonement must be made before 
God will be entreated. 

So Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just 
for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. 
(1 Pet. 3: 18.) 

Sin has separated us from God. (Is. 59:1-21.) 
And God will not hear, and atonement must be 
be made, that man may come back to God and 
God be entreated. The just Christ died for 
the unjust man that justice might be satisfied and 
God be just in His mercy, and grace, in justifying 
us through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 
whom God hath set forth that we, through faith 
in His blood, might declare His righteousness for 
the remission of past sins, through God’s forbear¬ 
ance; that He might be just in justifying those of 
faith in Jesus. In other words, Jesus without a 
sin-spot, could not suffer for His own sin. Through 
His whole life He had not a sin. “He was holy, 
harmless, undefded and separate from sinners.” 
Death had not passed on Him, for He had not 
sinned. 

But I had sinned, and death had passed on me. 
Jesus changes places with me. He attached my 


Salvation 


425 


sinful life to Himself and pays the penalty; and for 
me goes down into death. And into that death I 
go with Him, and lay beside Him in that cold, 
damp grave, and there attach His pure life to me, 
and I come forth to a new life and declare His 
righteousness for the remission of sins past through 
the forbearance of God. (Ro. 3: 26.) We in His 
death exchange places. He pays the penalty of 
my guilt, and I declare His righteousness for re¬ 
mission of sins of the past. This is the atonement 
for every man. Christ took my sins and went in¬ 
to death. I take His righteousness and pass into 
life. 

’Tis thus I am reconciled to God by the death 
of His son; and now having been reconciled, I shall 
be saved by His life. (Ro. 5: 10.) 

Having died to reconcile the world unto God, 
for,“God was in Christ reconciling the world unto 
Himself;” (2 Cor. 5: 19) for if one died for all then 
all have died; (2 Cor. 5: 15) and they who live by 
Him shall not henceforth live unto themselves, but 
unto Him who died for them. For those thus re¬ 
deemed by His blood, He has become a merciful 
high priest; and has entered into the holiest of all, 
there to appear in the presence of God for us. Not 
for every one, but for the saints. He has passed 
into the heavens, carrying His own blood by which 
He makes intercession before the mercy.seat, for 
the saints; not alien sinners. 


426 


The King and His Kingdom 


In His death He became the propiciation for 
the sins of the world; but in heaven He is the pro¬ 
piciation for the sins of the saints. 

Writing to the church, the apostle says of the 
saints, “If any man” (of us,) “sin, we” (not they 
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ 
the righteous.” He is the high priest of our pro¬ 
fession. (Heb. 3: 1.) Not of no profession. The 
high priest entered into the Holiest of all, not with¬ 
out blood, which he offered for the sins of his peo¬ 
ple. But Christ being come a high priest of a 
greater, and more perfect tabernacle, has, with His 
own blood, appeared into God’s presence, for His 
saints, and has become our advocate in the heaven, 
where He ever liveth to make intercession with 
God for us. Not for the world; but, “The high 
priest of our profession .” Read Hebrews 9th and 
10th chapters very carefully. 

Having been reconciled by His death, we are 
saved by His life. His death was for the reconciling 
of the world. His life, and priesthood is for the 
saints. They come to God by Him; and through 
His name, offer up prayers unto the Father, from 
whom cometh every good gift. (Ja. 1: 17). 

Men don’t pray to Christ nor the Holy Spirit, 
but to the Father, in the name of Christ as an 
advocate. 

Thus God’s love, mercy and grace, acting upon 
the Divine mind, caused God to prepare a gift of 


Salvation 


427 


salvation for the lost race, through the satisfying 
of justice, by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
for the sins of the world; and His living and abid¬ 
ing priesthood was for the saints, who by His etern¬ 
al intercession before the throne appearing in the 
presence of God for His people, and through whom, 
we, who have stumbled after having been recon¬ 
ciled, may come to God in prayer, with the prom¬ 
ise that He will hear us. 

’Tis thus the alien sinner comes to the death 
of Christ for the remission of sins; while the saint 
finds remission through the priesthood of the risen 
and exalted Saviour—His life. Thus in the salva¬ 
tion of the sinner in the church, or temple, we have 
the advocacy of Christ in the heavens, whither He 
has gone, now to appear in the presence of God 
for us; while to the alien sinner we have the death 
of Christ, to which we must come by faith. Faith 
does not go, nor do we believe ourselves there 
when we are not; but because we believe we go— 
the man goes. 

They go where God has promised to meet 
them, because they believe what He has said. 
That is going by faith. The great mistake has 
been in putting prayer outside of the church for 
those wdio are seperated from God by sins, (Is. 
59: 1-2) of whom God says “I will not hear”; and 
putting baptism into the death of Christ, in the 
church upon which institution God has recorded 


428 


The King and His Kingdom 


His Name as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the very 
fulness of the Divine Trinity,” and has therefore 
promised to meet and bless all those who by faith 
come to the place of His appointment. (Ex. 20: 
23.) “Wheresoever I record my name there will I 
be, and that to bless.” 

Christ’s death is for the world and His priest¬ 
hood for the children. (Ro. 5: 10, Heb. 3: 1 and 
9: 11-12 and 21, James 5: 15, 1 John 2: 1 and 5: 
13-18. Noticing all the time that the “we,” and 
“us,” refers to the saints.) 

We have now seen that salvation is a free gift 
from God, who loved us, and not by works as a 
debt. Failing in works we were lost having de¬ 
parted by sin from the living God; for when by 
failure in works we had transgress one law, we 
passed under condemnation, and were lost. If by 
works we were lost; then by works we cannot be 
saved. Since we have nothing with which to buy; 
it must be a gift. 

It was the grace, love and mercy of the Divine 
Father, acting upon the Divine mind, which caused 
Him to make a gift so wonderful—a gift which 
takes man from his alienation from God, and 
brings him into the family of God, and makes him 
an heir of all, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ 
His Son. 

But the condition of that gift must be justice 
God must be just, as well as merciful. 


Salvation 


429 


Love, grace and mercy, all Divine, could not 
sacrifice the justice of God, and leave God infinite. 
Destroy one of His attributes, and you destroy 
His infinitude. 

The death and priesthood of Jesus Christ are 
the only consistent means in the whole universe, 
of satisfying justice. God in Christ must die for 
man, or man is lost forever. The means is now 
prepared. God is manifest in the flesh, and died 
on the cross, the just for the unjust that He might 
bring us to God. Being put to death in the flesh 
but made alive in the spirit. He ascends to the 
skies and appears with His own blood in the pres¬ 
ence of God, and before the mercy seat for the sins 
of His people—the saints. 

Everything is now ready, and from God goes 
forth the announcement, ‘ ‘My oxen and my fattings 
are all killed, and all things are ready.” 

God’s part is done. Salvation is fully prepar¬ 
ed, and is ready for delivery to the race. 

But will the poor fallen race accept. Ruth¬ 
lessly it was spurned when man possessed it, and 
lived, and walked, and talked with God. Deliber¬ 
ately man went from the beauty of holiness, into 
sin and wretchedness and after a weary struggle, 
amid sighs, and tears, for 4,000 years, will he ac¬ 
cept the deliverance offered? The God of all provi¬ 
dence makes the provision; but it is with man to 
accept. 


430 


The King and His Kingdom 


Man acts from love—from the good treasures 
of the heart. It is not natural for man to love 
God. It is not natural for man to hate God. It 
is not natural for man to know anything about 
God. The natural man knoweth not the things of 
God. (1 Cor. 2: 9-16). 

The things of God must be revealed by the 
spirit of God. 

“We love him because He first loved us.” Love 
is the reciprocation of love manifested. We must 
wait till God manifests Divine love before we can 
return to Him our poor, weak, sickly human love, 
so as to desire deliverence from sin and its con¬ 
sequences. 

This was manifested in the death of His Son. 
“God so loved the world that He gave His only 
begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him 
might not perish; but have everlasting life.” “God 
commiendeth His love towards us, in that while 
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Ro. 5: 
8.) “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because 
He laid down His life for us.” (1 John 9: 16.) “In 
this was manifested the love of God towards us, 
because that God sent His only begotten Son—into 
the world that we might live through him.” (1 
John 4: 9.) In the agony of Calvary—the dying 
of the crucified—God manifested to poor, fallen 
humanity the deep throbbings of the Divine na¬ 
ture in its benign sympathy for a lost and ruined 


Salvation 


431 


race. From the sweets of innocency man had 
gone out under the dark storm cloud of sin and 
woe, without God, and without hope, to battle 
with affliction, and terror, all alone, without a 
star to lighten the gloom. His poor aching heart, 
harrassed on every side, cast down and forsaken, 
with grief, and dispair, compassing his rounds of 
life, and goes without rest into the grave at last. 
God pities him and takes his poor fallen nature 
upon himself, and carries it through all the rough 
paths of human experiences, and poverty’s gloom 
in utter homelessness, till death’s shades gathered 
on Calvary’s summit, and the sun veiled his face, 
and He died in gloom. By this death is atone¬ 
ment made, and ’tis said we are saved by the 
death, or the blood, or the cross of the crucified. 

But all this would be unknown but for 
the story that reveals it, and the wonderful love 
of God would be unknown forever if unheard. It 
was therefore necessary that the story of the won¬ 
derful life, of this wonderful Lord, and the astound¬ 
ing death that He died, should be told; and this 
story is set forth in the gospel. 

Thus the gospel is the record of the sayings, 
anddoings, of Him who represented the wonderful 
love of the wonderful Lord; and the story of love, 
touching the heart of the lost, is said to be the 
power of God for salvation to all that believe it. 


432 


The King and His Kingdom 


But faith comes by hearing the word which is 
preached by the gospel. There is no other way to 
get faith, but by preaching the word, and so it 
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to 
save them that believe it —if the gospel is preached. 
All this is a part of the heavenly plan; and man is 
not reached as yet—not saved. 

“Moreover * * * I declare to you the gos¬ 
pel which I preached, * * and by which you are 
saved if you keep it in memory. For it is the story 
of Christ’s death for our sins, according to the scrip¬ 
tures. (1 Cor. 15: 1). The gospel is the power of 
God to salvation to him who believes it. (Ro. 
1: 16.) 

All this is but the work of preparation, for the 
salvation of man; and the work is not yet begun 
in the man himself. To all this he has perhaps 
been an unwilling listener; and no impression has 
been made upon his moral sensibilities. 

He must believe that story of love, or it will 
not effect him, or in any way change his moral 
nature, or control the sympathies of the soul. 

Faith takes this story of love Divine into the 
mind and causes it to permeate every avenue of 
his being. If he believes it, it becomes a part of 
his inner self—of his spiritual discernments. 
Through that faith the love of God, the mercy of 
God, the grace of God, the beautiful loving life of 
Jesus, the agony of Gethsemena, the tragedy of 


Salvation 


433 


Golgotha, all permeate his darkened soul with 
new light, which converts it into a pool of sympa¬ 
thy, and by that faith the heart is purified. (Acts 
15: 9). The heart is purified by the faith and not 
by something else, as, Divine prerogatives, because 
of faith. 

The change is wrought by the faith itself—the 
belief of a story so loving and tender, has softened 
the chords of the soul and it vibrates into the music 
of praise, and thanksgiving, and the offering of 
incense, to Him who has loved—whom we love. 

He now desires to draw nearer to God, that 
God may draw nigh to him. Since sin has sepa¬ 
rated between him and his God, he would seek to 
“break, off his sins by righteousness, and his in¬ 
iquities by turning back to God.” Sin is the trans¬ 
gression of law, and if he would break off his sins 
he will begin to obey. His first step toward God 
must be obedience. 

This act, will show if his faith has touched hi 
heart. It is from the heart he believes unto right 
eousness (Ro. 10: 10). He who does right 
righteous. (1 John 3: 7). 

The righteousness of God is revealed in th 
gospel; (Ro. 1: 17) and if he is now ready to accept, 
he will begin to obey. His heart is purified by his 
faith, and from its “good treasures,” he is ready 
to bring forth good things, in obedience to Christ’s 
law. God tries his faith, and his love right here, 


434 


The King and His Kingdom 


as He did Abraham and Isreal of old, to see if they 
would keep His statutes. Right here with his heart 
purified by faith, and his life purified by love he 
begins life anew. If you love me you will keep my 
commands.” Pure within, and pure without, he 
is ready to accept the salvation God has prepared. 
That salvation he accepts by being baptized into 
Christ—into His death. Jesus says, John 15: 5. 
“Apart from me you can do nothing.” The 
branch cannot bear fruit of itself. It must be 
graft into the vine, (John 15:1) or as Paul using 
the same figure in vegetable physiology calls it the 
olive tree, (Ro. 11) where he teaches that the branch 
broken from the good olive tree, like the one broken 
from the wild olive tree, must be graft in or 
perish. 

In the system of grafting, the first thing done 
is to prepare the tree, which Jesus declares to be 
himself. 

A natural bunch is one which nature grows. 
These were the natural seed of Abraham who 
were in Christ by a natural birth, until broken off 
because of unbelief; and therefore like branches from 
the wild olive must be grafted in again. 

The tree was Christ—the vine was the same 
figure. Paul selected his figure from the plains of 
Italy, where the olive flourished; and Jesus chose 
his from the vine clad hills of Palestine. He was 


Summary 


435 


speaking to the people of the one place, as Paul 
was writing to those of the other 

The figures are the same from vegetable phy¬ 
siology. 

This tree was prepared in His death. But for 
that no branch broken off could be graft in again. 

The next step in the process is the preparation 
of the scion to be graft. No old withered rotten 
stick though graft, ever so perfectly will grow. 
The scion of itself, must have the elements of life— 
the buds of faith, hope, and love, must be alive, or 
they never can germinate. This is a law in all 
nature. You must not rush into the presence of 
God, with impurity and rottenness. The scion 
must be prepared. By faith, which purifies the 
heart it is prepared on the inside. The impurities 
are cut off that it may be suited to the tree. The 
outer life is then changed from the overt acts of 
sin by repentance— metanoia —a reformation. A 
turning from sin, to obedience. The graft is now 
ready; but “out of me”—apart from me—“you can 
do nothing.” “The branch separate from the vine is 
withered and men gather them and cast them into 
the fire and they are burned.” (John 15). 

The preparation of the scion does not set it. 
The setting is another process. The purifying of 
the heart, or the life, does not set the graft; it only 
prepares it for setting. You cannot believe your¬ 
self in when you are out; nor love yourself in; but 


436 


The King and His Kingdom 


because you believe, and love, you can go into the 
vineyard for work, when called by the Master. 

When the scion by a renewed heart, and a re¬ 
formed life is prepared—by faith, and repentance, 
which means purity within, and without—it must 
be set; that the tissues of the branch, may unite 
with those of the tree, and produce growth, and a 
rich fruitage. The tree being prepared in Christ 
death, and the scion prepared as suggested, Paul 
tells us the manner of engrafting. ‘ ‘As many of 
you as have been baptised into Christ; have been 
baptized into His death .” (Ro. 6; 1-4). 

Then growth may begin, and fruits be expected. 
“Out of me” says Jesus, “you can do nothing.” 
Coming into Him we come into His kingdom, un¬ 
der his government, into His temple, and are made 
partakers of his calling. We are soldiers in his 
army. He is our king and we are His people. 

Jesus says, (John 3:36.) “He that believeth 
on the Son has everlasting life, and he that be¬ 
lieveth not the Son shall not see life.” Again John 
6: 47, “He that believeth on me hath everlasting 
life.” 

The same expression is found in John 6:40 and 
3: 15 and 16 and 1: 12. 

The word in the above quotations translated 
“on,” and “in,” is, “eis” in the original scriptures, 
which means, “into,” and from this some argue 
that a man is in Christ bj^ believing alone. This 


Salvation 


437 


is the ground of the teaching of salvation by faith 
only. But what saith the scriptures. 

James speaking of faith, says, that, standing 
alone, it is dead. (Ja. 2: 17.) Faith is only rec¬ 
ognized, from the things it causes the man who be¬ 
lieves to perform. If a man believeth into Christ, 
then as a matter of fact, God puts him in as a re¬ 
ward for believing; making faith a work and God 
a debtor; or the faith in the man inspires him to 
go in. If God puts him into Christ where does he 
put him in? Through the door or up some other 
way? It is the man from without, that is to be 
moved to within. The action is of the man. If 
the act is of God, then he does not “believe unto”; 
but God puts him “into” because he believes. 

I was outside of the house; and now I am in¬ 
side. ’Tis asked how I came in. It is answered 
that I walked in. Is it understood that one put 
me in because I walked? or that the walking 
brought me in? One or the other is true, for he 
who was without is within. The man has been 
moved. Simply walking would not bring me in, 
but the directness of the walk. I must walk in the 
right direction. So simply believing with a dead 
faith—believing like the devils, (James 2: 17-19) 
will not induce Christ to spread himself over me; 
but true faith, will inspire us to go by the way 
pointed out, till we reach the place of destination 
—salvation is in Christ. He is the vine, the sheep 


438 The King and His Kingdom 

fold, the temple, the way, the truth, the life. If in 
Him, we bear the fruit of the vine, He is the pas¬ 
tor and bishop of our souls, and we are in the 
right way, and walk in the truth, and the light, 
and “hath everlasting life.” It is important to 
know how we get into him. One passage of 
scripture ought to set it forth clearly. 

Paul says, (Heb. 3: 12) “Take heed brethren 
lest there be in any of you, an evil heart of unbe¬ 
lief, in departing from the living God .” 

If an evil heart of unbelief is departing from 
the living God; then belief is drawing near to God. 
If unbelief takes us away through its inspirations, 
causing us to depart; then belief of the truth will 
inspire us to go into the Christ—into the way, the 
truth, the light, the life, and the redemption, 
which are in Him, yea, and amen forever. To be 
saved “we must walk 11 ; not stand , “in the steps, of 
the faith of Abraham.” (Ro. 4: 12). 

The people said let us go back. Moses said 
stand still and see God save you. But God said 
tell the people to go forward. It was not the 
time for prayer. (Ex. 14: 10-15). 

Paul says, “By faith they passed through the 
Red Sea.” (Heb. 11: 20.) 

They believed into the sea. So a man believeth 
into Christ when his faith takes him into Christ 
by the appointed way—when he “draws nigh in 
full assurance of faith” “by a new way consecrat- 


Salvation 


439 


cd for us” “through Christ’s flesh”; “having our 
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience”—(evil 
judgment of the mind by the word of God falling 
upon it line upon line, precept upon precept here a 
little, and there a little, like the rain and the snow 
from heaven;) “and our bodies washed in pure 
water.” 

If a man cannot see this it is not because he is 
narrow between the eves; but he has only one eye 
and that he has shut lest he should. Let me sug¬ 
gest that a man can’t pray himself in, though he 
can pray the Lord to put him in. But the Lord 
will not answer such a prayer. 

When my Lord says, “Come unto me” if we 
refuse He will not come out and carry us in. A 
man cannot believe, or love himself in; but he can 
believe and love enough to go in. He that comes 
to God must believe there is a God to come to; 
and he must believe God will reward him when he 
gets there. (Heb. 11: 6.) Paul illustrates the 
whole subject of faith in the eleventh chapter of 
Hebrews. As by faith these worthies walked; so 
man “believeth into the Son, and hath everlasting 
life, 

Faith then is a confidence there is a salvation 
for us—a salvation prepared in Jesus the Christ. 

Sick of sin, and its consequences, we desire it. 
This is a change of heart—repentance. 


440 Tlie King and His Kingdom 

Neither confidence in, or love for, accepts. 
These only incline us to accept. Give us power to 
become Sons of God. (John 1: 12), 

A lady’s confidence in, and love for, a young 
man, does not make her a wife. There must be 
the ceremony of marriage in order to change the 
state. So with the foreigner who has confidence 
in our government, and love for our nation. He 
must be naturalized. Neither faith in, nor love 
for our nation, naturalizes him; but only makes 
him desire to be a citizen, and brings him to the 
ceremony of naturalization. No act of the mind, 
or the heart, can change the state. They can 
make one desire to have it changed, and joyfully 
come to the ceremony appointed for our transla- 
lation into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. (Col. 
1: 13). 

This salvation is from sin, and uncleanness. 
How then are we saved? How will we accept the 
salvation God has prepared for us? 

Paul to Titus says, “Not by works of right¬ 
eousness which we have done; but according to his 
mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, 
and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5). 

Two things are here declared as the means 
used by God for man’s salvation. The one is the 
renewing of the Holy Spirit. This is the renewing 
of the mind. In Ro. 12: 2 Paul says, “We are 


Salvation 


441 


transformed by the renewing of the mind.” That 
which is bom of, or renewed by spirit is spirit. 

The renewing of the Holy Spirit is the trans¬ 
forming of their mind, by the introduction of light 
into their understanding, by the word of God. 
Having the eyes of the understanding darkened, 
being alienated from the life of God through the 
ignorance that is in them on account of the stup¬ 
idity of their hearts. (Eph. 4: 18). 

John says the life of God, is the light, and the 
word came as the light of the world. (John 1: 1- 
14.) The Holy Spirit came testifying to that 
word till “The eyes of the understanding were 
enlightened”—renewed in knowledge—that you 
may know the hope of His calling, and the riches 
of His inheritance in the saints. (Eph. 1: 18.) 

This is a prerequisite, always, to salvation. 
It is the regeneration itself—the incorruptible seed 
sown in the heart, by which they are born again. 
“Of His own will begat He us with the word of 
truth,” (Ja. 1: 12), given by the Holy Spirit for 
the renewing of the darkened mind. 

The other is the washing of regeneration. This 
washing is not the regeneration. The regeneration 
must preceed the washing or you could not wash 
it. This washing is not a part of the regenera¬ 
tion, except as it is connected with our salvation. 
The regeneration is by the spirit, through the word 
of God. “Bom again not of corruptible seed, but 


442 


The King and His Kingdom 


of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth 
and abideth forever.” (1 Pet. 1: 23.) By the 
washing of this is salvation received. 

Again Paul says, “Christ loved the church and 
gave Himself for it that He might sanctify and 
cleanse it by the washing of water by the word.” 
(Eph. 5:26.) 

This explains that the washing of regeneration 
is a bath of water, and by it the church has been 
cleansed. This cleansing is a salvation from sin. 
When one is cleansed he is set apart to the service 
of righteousness, sanctified, and called a saint. 
The cleansing is by the washing of water. 
Cleansed, saved from sin, purified in the Lord Jesus. 

But what is this washing here spoken of? 
What was it called? 

It was the washing which cleansed us—saved 
us. 

Peter says, speaking of the death, burial, and 
resurrection of Christ, “The like figure whereunto, 
even baptism doth also now save us; by the 
answer of a good conscience towards God. ’ ’ (Pet. 

3: 21.) 

Behind this statement no believer can possibly 
go. Baptism saves us, or the word of God is a 
fable. Nothing could be more clearly announced. 
It is not a fleshly washing for animal purification; 
but it is an act of the conscience—of a renewed 
mind—an act of faith, from hearing the word of 


Salvation 


443 


God. It is in this act, God has appointed that we 
shall show our willingness to accept that which 
the race threw away. 

The philosophy of it is beautiful in the ex¬ 
treme. Man careless and indifferent, separated 
himself from God by sin, which is transgression of 
law. It is meet therefore that his willingness to 
return should be shown by obedience to a law in 
which man could see no moral bearing. 

Were a command given by which we were to 
come into Christ Jesus, which had a significance in 
the relations of life, we would not know whether 
it was on account of our faith in the word of God, 
or our conception of right, in the nature of things. 
It was necessary therefore that God should ap¬ 
point an ordinance that would be a test of faith, 
and also show a deep willingness to accept the 
blessing, in any manner God saw fit to appoint. 

This brings us into Christ—into His kingdom 
where we may grow into a rich fruitage. 

There can be but one act, which takes us 
through the gate, into the way, in which we are to 
travel. 

Faith, and love, causes us to take the step 
which brings us into that relation. We are now 
prepared to understand ths scriptures concerning 
our salvation. 

If it is said we are saved by the grace, love or 
mercy of God, it is true. But for each of these, in 


444 


The King and His Kingdom 


the Divine being, acting upon Him in all their in¬ 
finitude and sweetness; moving Him to infinite 
compassion, and Divine tenderness toward the 
straying; and causing Him to prepare a way 
through the sacrifice of His own son, the beloved, 
there would have been no way prepared by which 
the lost, could return to a fathers loving welcome 
home. Without these characteristics in the Divine 
mind, all hope is abandoned and man is left in 
darkness and death, to wander an outcast ’till 
extinguished forever. 

Because of these, dwelling in the eternal, away 
is opened, for man’s return to the fellowship of 
Father, Son, and Tdoly Spirit, with the past 
forgiven and strength imparted for the future. 

But to say man is saved by these alone , des¬ 
troys justice, and overthrows the Divine govern¬ 
ment, and makes God a changeable being, and 
destroys confidence in the stability of his govern¬ 
ment, and the glory of His name. 

If it is said we are saved by the sacrifice—the 
the death—the blood of the crucified; it is true. 

But for the agony of Gethsemana, the tragedy 
of Calvary, the pierced hands and pierced feet, and 
pierced side, and piercing cry of the man of sor¬ 
rows, when carrying our poor fallen nature 
through that terrible gloom, that justice might be 
satisfied, and God be just, as well as merciful, in 
opening a fount for human cleansing, and a solace 


Salvation 


445 


for human woes, through an inspiring hope for a 
final end of his conflict with sin. 

But to say we are saved by the death of Christ 
alone , takes away human responsibilities, and the 
incentive to toil and watch-care, on our part; and 
human growth and sympathy and development is 
at an end. Had the wearied life, and bursting 
heart, and the garden’s gloom, and dying agony, 
been tenfold more, it would not, of itself, have 
taken a single soul to the skies. 

To say vre are saved by the priesthood of 
Christ is true. 

But for His priesthood in the heavens, the 
saint in his terrible conflict with sin; struggling 
against such overwhelming odds, as he battles 
against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, 
and the pride of life; falling at times, but hopefully 
rising to renew the battle, only to be overcome in 
the conflict; with the eagle of victory sometimes 
perching on the banner of Amelek and sometimes 
on the banner of Joshua; would often count all as 
lost, and give up the struggle. 

But to know that we have a high-priest—the 
high-priest of our profession—who can be touched 
with the feelings of our infirmities—having passed 
through it all—and become a merciful and faithful 
high-priest in things pertaining to God—made 
after the order of Melchisedek—the order of 
superiority—and, “Therefore He is able to save to 


446 The King and His Kingdom 

the uttermost all those who come unto God 
through Him;” always living to interpose in their 
behalf, through His unchangeable priest-hood. 
(Heb. 7: 25.) 

But to depend upon that priest-hood alone , 
and teach sinners who have never “come unto 
God through Him”; nor been reconciled through 
His death—aliens from God, and strangers from 
the covenant of His grace, without God, and with¬ 
out hope, and have never conformed to His death; 
but have stood outside of, and opposed to His 
kingdom and government; is contrary to all 
scriptural teaching, and to the philosophy of re¬ 
demption as set forth in the gospel of His grace. 

To say, we are saved by the gospel is true; 
and is in perfect harmony with reason as well as 
revelation, but to say, “alone,” would destroy 
human responsibility and acquiescence in the 
scheme of the redemption of the race. 

So preaching is a part of the plan, and as an 
important factor cannot be left out, but preaching 
alone would do little towards the transformation 
of man, without faith in the gospel and trust in 
the Lord. 

So also the whole philosophy of redemption, 
as well as scriptural teaching, impresses upon us 
the truth that we are saved by faith. 

Nothing else could cause us to cast on Him 
our care, while we, fearless, and confident, place 


Salvation 


447 


ourselves under the guidance of the Blessed, and 
by Him to be led as He listeth, whether through 
the deep waters, or climbing the heights. 

Were I to attempt to write of the horizon of 
faith and the wonders of its power, and its bles¬ 
sings, I should come far short of expressing all 
that might be said in its favor. 

But faith alone doctrine, is out of harmony 
with God and the word, and the wants of the 
w T orld. 

It makes faith a work, and God a debtor; dis¬ 
cards human service, and human activities, and 
human obedience, in human development. 

So also confession is a part of the plan, it be¬ 
ing ordained of God that each shall confess Him 
before men, who by man was denied. 

“Whoever is ashamed of me before men, of him 
will I be ashamed before my Father, and the 
angels.” 

“With the heart man believeth into righteous¬ 
ness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto 
salvation.” 

But salvation requires more than the simple 
announcement of the faith that is within us. 

That, though required, yet alone will not 
save. 

This is followed by baptism as a part of God’s 
plan. 


448 The King and His Kingdom 

Paul calls it a washing and says we are saved 
by it. (Titus 3: 5. ) 

Peter says it is a figure of the death and resur¬ 
rection of Jesus Christ, and tells us, it saves us. 
(Pet. 3: 4.) 

It then, is perfectly proper to say Baptism 
saves us, for the spirit of God has declared it. But 
if any have thought, that baptism alone, can save 
one that is lost, that man has failed to grasp the 
economy of heaven, and knows but little of the 
wonderful sacrifice, required, both in heaven, and 
among men, to save a soul that is lost. 

But putting them all together—God’s part to 
prepare, and man’s part to accept—the plan is 
harmonious, and the S 3 7 stem complete, and we 
behold the wonderful mercy and kindness of God, 
in the wonderful feast He has prepared for the 
weary, and wandering ones; while faith strong, 
and heart trusting, and hope radiant, we reach 
out to accept the gift of His love. 

With this all before us we can now understand 
such passages, as, “God be thanked that though 
you were servants of sin, you have obeyed from 
the heart that form of teaching which was de¬ 
livered you, being then made free from sin, you be¬ 
came the servants of righteousness.” (Ro. 6 : 17). 

“And now why tarriest thou, arise and be 
baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on 
the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22: 16.) 


Salvation 


449 


“Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in 
the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins.” 
(Acts 2: 38.) 

Go preach the gospel to every creature He 
that believeth and*is baptized shall be saved. 
(Mark 16: 16.) “He that believeth not, shall be 
damned.” 


CHAPTER XXXX. 

FINANCE. 

It would be strange indeed, if the “God of 
heaven would set up a kingdom,” intending to 
supply its exchequer from charity, and that by 
begging. That no system of revenue was provided 
for the running'expenses of a kingdom so vast, is a 
marvel unprecedented, as such a thing is entirely 
unknown among men. We surely must look for 
some arrangement by which the officiary can be 
paid, and the incidental expenses defrayed. 

Expecting this kingdom to fill the whole earth, 
He started it and continues it without any laws 
for its revenue, and no plan for its support; He 
choose an officiary that cannot live on “angel’s 
food,” and yet supplied neither raven’s nor reven¬ 
ues to feed them, is not possible. 

It cannot be. Some arrangement has surely 
been made, and laid deep in its constitution; and 
commensurate with its needs. 

When Jesus gave his parable of Lazarus at the 
rich man’s gate, whatever he meant, he most hap¬ 
pily illustrated the present kingdom of heaven as a 


450 


Finance 


451 


begger at the rich man’s door. Such is the aspect 
of the kingdom of heaven as seen in our day. 

God’s treasury is always bankrupt. Whoever 
heard of a surplus in the treasury with the debts 
paid- Nay it is always empty and replenished by 
chicanery the most unworthy, and means the most 
dark. Begging is the most usual, but when that 
fails, appeal is made to passions the most carnal, 
and ways quite unseemly. Such things may be 
excusable in the commencement of a government; 
but to keep up its exchequer by charity, is con¬ 
trary to all experience, and system. 

In every dispensation of His government God 
has richly provided a system perfectly adapted to 
its wants. In neither of His two former dispen- 
tions, were the official supported by contributions; 
but each had a fully established system of revenue 
commensurate with its need. 

History has given but faint pencilings of the 
Patriarchal dispensation. Its laws are known 
principally by the practice of its subjects. 

It was the early dispensation wherein God be¬ 
gan the training of His people in moral culture, in 
the family relation. Here He made the father by 
natural seniority the prophet, priest and king. 
As prophet he taught the inmates of his home, the 
things of God’s revelation to him, and through 
him to them. 


452 The King and His Kingdom 

As priest he made atonement through sacrifices 
they would present; and God accepted it by send¬ 
ing fire from heaven to consume it. 

As king he was magnified in the hearts and 
lives of his household. 

This is evident from the curse pronounced up¬ 
on Ham, for his contempt of Noah, even though 
his acts were a reproach. The priesthood was in¬ 
dicated in Job where those who had sinned must 
bring their offerings to the patriarch, for him to 
make atonement. No sinner was permitted to 
rush into God’s presence, wildly, but he must come 
by a mediator whom God has appointed. 

As king he took control of the family, and was 
truly possessed of the “Divine right of kings.” In 
his case this right was divine, and was found in 
the nature of things, as planted by God in the 
moral relation of progenitor to his family. 

That this thought should be daily impressed 
upon them, it was necessary there should be a 
continual acknowledgement of his right, and their 
obligations; especially after the family had grown 
into tribal proportions as it would during the long 
years of patriarchl life. This tribal priest was 
among them not a president, as we would call the 
highest officer, or a Pharaoh as Egypt would title 
her chief executive officer; or as the Babylonians 
would name their king, Darius; but he was called 
Melchizedec as king of peace, and priest of the 


Finance 


453 


Most High God. His office lias not a beginning of 
days, nor period of time; but it was a continual 
priesthood, founded in the nature of things, and 
was by natural descent—a priesthood continually. 
The priesthood of Levi had a beginning of days— 
a time of appointment—and was after that order 
—the order of Levi. 

Each priest, in that order, traced his right to 
office through his father and mother, as belonging 
to the priestly tribe, which, by God was appointed 
to the priestly office, in its “beginning of days.” 
But the order of Melchizedec was the order of nat¬ 
ural seniority, and had no beginning of days, from 
the time of appointment; but was founded in the 
nature of things, and must, in the nature of things 
remain continually, while time should last. Heb. 
5; passim. So Christ is high priest, not by ap¬ 
pointment, after the order of Levi; but by seniority 
in the nature of things, after the order of Melchiz¬ 
edec. 

This Melchizedec, who perhaps might have 
been Shem, who was then living, and by nature 
prophet, priest and king, of the tribe to which 
Abraham belonged; met Abraham as he returned 
from the slaughter of kings, and blessed him; “and 
brought forth bread and wine;” and he was priest 
of the most high God. And Abraham gave him 
tithes of all. Gen. 14: 17-24. 


454 


The King and His Kingdom 


The king of Sodom said to Abraham; take the 
goods, but give me the prisoners. But Abraham 
said, I will take nothing, save only what we have 
eaten, and the portion which belongs to the young 
men. But he says nothing about the tithes he had 
given to Melchizedec. Had he not taken them? 
Nay! That was God’s part, and belonged to Him; 
and was paid over to God’s representative—to 
Melchizedec. Abraham could not give that back 
to the king of Sodom. He had nothing to do with 
it. It was God’s portion. Nor could he give back 
the portion that belonged to the young men. It 
was theirs, and the tenth was God’s. And by 
Abraham was so acknowledged. 

Melchizedec was God’s priest; and was sup¬ 
ported out of God’s portion; which was one-tenth. 
(Heb. 7: passim). 

This clearly indicates that under the dispensa¬ 
tion of the patriarchs one-tenth of all, however 
obtained, belonged to God; and was paid over to 
His priesthood. And the blessing of God was given 
to Abraham, by the priest of the Most High. He 
said, “Blessed be Abraham, of the most High God, 
possessor of heaven and earth.” 

The possessor of heaven and earth is able to 
bless; for He has enough in His hands to bless with 
The blessings He bestowed upon Abraham, who 
by faith kept his precepts without fear, is told by 


Finance 


455 


his old servant, when he went back to seek a wife 
for his son Isaac. 

“He said I am Abraham’s servant; and the 
Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is 
become great; and he hath given him flocks, and 
herds, and silver, and gold, and manservants,and 
maid servants, and camels, and asses.” Read Gen. 
24 passim and you will know what abundance 
God’s blessing means. Abraham was rich, and 
the blessing stopped not with his death; but con¬ 
tinued to generations unborn. Such an inheritance 
is far better than that of gold, or of lands. 

Could the blessing of the priest of the most high 
God; made priest after the order of Melchisedec— 
a natural priesthood without appointment—rest 
on me, that the abundance of God’s blessing might 
be to me and to mine, I certainly would want no 
more. Would God we had Abraham; faith, that 
we might confidently say: 

“The Lord is my shepherd; 

I shall not want. 

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; 

He leadeth me beside the still waters; 

He restoreth my soul; 

He leadeth me in path of righteousness, 

For His name’s sake. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley 

Of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil; 


456 


The King and His Kingdom 


For thou art with me, 

Thy rod and thy staff, 

They comfort me.” 

Another gem, in most beautiful settings is 
given in the life of the patriarch Jacob, when he 
fled from the anger of Esau. Isaac priest of the 
tribe, after Abraham, in the order of Melchizedec, 
gave his blessing to Jacob and he could not depart 
from it; for he had none for Esau. Pie had sent 
him to Padan-Aram to the house of Bethuel for a 
wife. And going from Beer-Sheba towards Har- 
am, he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried 
all night; and took stones for his pillow and lay 
down to sleep. And he dreamed of a ladder set 
up on the earth, and the top reached up to the 
skies, and angels came down and went up. “And 
the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord 
God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; 
the land whereon thou best to thee will I give it, 
and to thy seed; and thy seed shall spread abroad 
to the east, and to the west, and to the north, and 
to the south; and in thee, and in thy seed shall all 
the families of the earth be blessed.” Read Gen. 
28: with care, and you will read it with pleasure. 

“And Jacob vowed a vow saying: If God will 
be with me, and will keep me in this way that I 
go; and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to 
put on, so that I come again to my fathers house 
in peace; then shall the Lord be my God; and this 


Finance 


457 


stone I have set for a pillar shall be His house; 
and of all that thou shall give me I will surely 
give the tenth unto thee.” 

This vow was made in his poverty. Like all 
young men he was looking forward. But how 
many have struggled and failed? How little 
struggle wealth seems to have cost some! 

I have watched till presuaded that Jacob was 
right, when he said, “What God gives me.” Aye! 
“What God gives me.” Nebchadnezzar looked 
over the beauty and glory of Babylon and said, 
“See what I have done.” God humbled his proud 
heart, and turned him out to pasture with cattle, 
till he knew that God reigns, and setteth up whom 
He will, and casts down whom He pleases. It was 
a terrible lesson for the proud King— a lesson, 
few of us, have yet learned. But God will yet 
teach us in some way, if we are teachable. Or 
damn us if we are not. The impress of Abraham’s 
life and faith is seen in his grandson. 

If God who led my grandfather, and my father, 
will lead me, etc. He shall be my God, and I will 
worship Him with my substance—“I will surely 
give Him one-tenth of all He gives me.” 

With that vow upon him, he started forth. 
He began life with that for his capital; and let him 
tell the story of his success. 

When he returned to his country and his 
kindred; fearing Esau, whom he still trembled be- 


458 


The King and His Kingdom 


lore,he wondered if God would bless him and he took 
a retrospect of his life and said, “With my staff I 
passed over this Jordan; and now I am become 
two bands. 

He prepared from God’s gifts a little present 
for his brother; a drove of 580 head of fine stock. 
And when Esau refused it, he said to Esau, “Take 
it my brother, because God hath dealt graciously 
with me, and because I have enough.” 

His vow shows what was expected under that 
dispensation from the worshiper—a tenth of all 
that God gave him. His return with such com¬ 
petence shows what the blessing of God means to 
the faithful. 

“God has dealt graciously with me and I 
have enough ,” was his story. Though few, these 
examples give a clear index to that dispensation, 
and those who lived under it, and shows what 
was expected of worshipers then. 

The twelve sons of Jacob formed twelve tribes 
which God—not man—organized into a nation. 
He selected the tribe of Levi for the priesthood. 
To it He gave no inheritance in the land of prom¬ 
ise; but said, “I am thy part, and thine inheritance 
among the children of Israel.” (Num. 18: 20.) 

“At that time the Lord separated the tribe of 
Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, 
to stand before the Lord, to minister unto Him, 
and to bless in His name unto this day.” 


Finance 


459 


Wherefore Levi had no part nor inheritance 
with his brethren; the Lord was his inheritance, 
as the Lord his God promised him. (Dent 10:8-9.) 

This was kept continually before them; and 
oftimes repeated to all the children of Israel. 

For them there was no begging, and no “clap¬ 
trap-arrangements for their support. One-twelfth 
of the people were set apart for the service of the 
sanctuary; and eleven-twelfths—eleven families 
must support one family in all the land; and that 
must come out of the Lord’s part, “I am thy 
portion,” saith the Lord to Levi. 

God did not support them by Divine prerog¬ 
atives, nor feed them with angel’s food, or by rav¬ 
ens; but out of His own rentals He supported His 
own ministry. Nor were they supported by beg¬ 
ging from the charity of the people. God made 
ample provision for the officials of His people. It 
was not the order of heaven that God should beg 
from man, but men should pray to God. God is 
the giver; man simply pays such rentals as the 
giver of every good gift sees fit to impose. The 
inheritance was divided up among the eleven 
tribes from whom God demanded a tenth of all, for 
the support of the officials He had appointed. 

This was their acknowledgement of God’s 
watchcare, and providence. It was just that God 
should demand of them a yearly, and daily, ac¬ 
knowledgement of His continued care over them. 


460 


The King and His Kingdom 


They were his people. His chosen inheritance, and 
over them He had watched with unceasing care. 
He had led them out of bondage; and it was but 
just that they should remember His goodness, and 
mercy, and by a return of the tithes He demanded, 
confess their dependence, and his goodness and 
care. 

Besides, worship is the life of any people. It 
is the bond of all social intercourse; and without 
it, no people can prosper. It is much cheaper for 
any government to support the moral influence 
upon a people by the worship of Israel’s God, than 
to keep order through police regulations. Like 
the kingdom of heaven their government was in 
the officiary God appointed; and that officiary 
was supported by a system of revenue properly 
appointed, and sufficient to cover all the needs of 
government; and properly remunerate all the 
officials. 

It was wisely based upon the faith and devo¬ 
tion of the people, and was little or much accord¬ 
ing to the faith and piety of those under the in¬ 
struction of those who were to receive it. If the 
people waxed careless in their piety toward God, 
and faith in His word and providence, their gifts 
and offerings, would be meager. 

Hence the appointment was such as to inspire 
the priesthood to keep God constantly before their 
eyes; and make all feel, and acknowledge their de- 


Finance 


461 


pendance. If there was a failure of support, it 
was on account of a failure of tithes, caused by a 
failure in the worship taught, and encouraged by 
the priesthood, and the revenue was so arranged 
as to encourage the priesthood to a continued 
faithfulness in their teachings. Destroy the peo¬ 
ple’s respect for God, and their feeling of depend- 
ance upon His providence, and the honor of His 
laws; and there would at once be a deficiency in 
the tithes, from which came their support. Thus 
idleness and negligence in their official work, had 
its immediate judgment; and their support de¬ 
pended upon their faithfulness in the ministry, to 
which they were appointed as the teachers of God’s 
law and goodness. 

This statute was regarded by God’s people in 
all their journeyings, and was always taught by 
His prophets when bringing the people back from 
their wanderings. 

“And the Levite which is within thy gate; 
thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part, 
nor inheritance with thee.” (Deut. 14: 27). 

See also Neh. 10: 37, and 14:37. Heb. 7: 5. 

Nor were the Levites excepted in this remem¬ 
ber ance of God, and His gifts; but they were com¬ 
manded to separate one tenth from what they re¬ 
ceived, as an acknowledgement of God’s gifts and 
providence to them; and “one tenth of what they 
receive, they shall offer up as a heave offering unto 


462 


The King and His Kingdom 


the Lord; and this shall be counted unto them as 
the increase of the threshing floor and the wine 
press.” (Num. 13:25). 

And this heave offering went to the high priest 
for his support. 

God was the portion of His officials, and their 
support came from His part of the gifts made to 
His people. 

Their acknowledment of dependence, and the 
graciousness of His gifts, was thus portrayed, and 
the amount depended upon the amount He gave; 
and the amount He gave depended upon the faith¬ 
fulness of His people; and the faithfulness of His 
people depended upon the faithfulness of the min¬ 
istry in their teaching; and their inspiration to 
faith, love and good works. When the priesthood 
failed to properly educate the people their support 
was cut off; and when the people failed to do their 
duty and robbed God of His part, they were curse 
with a curse in all the land; in their “baskets and 
stores,” “in their going out, and in coming. ”God 
sent a dearth upon the land; locust and catapillar; 
and devoured the land for their iniquity. Read 
Mak 3: 8-12 and Deut. 28. 

Were I asked why Abraham’s God, possessor 
of the heavens and earth, is so poor today, that he 
is a beggar from house to house; and from saint 
and sinner; with the treasury of his kingdom ex¬ 
hausted; and his officials lying at the gate of the 


Finance 


463 


rich, seeking a pittance for His name? I would ans¬ 
wer with Maiachi. “Will a man rob God? Yet 
ye have robbed me in tithes and offerings.” Mai. 
3:8.) 

If asked why God’s people are poor I would 
let the same prophet declare, “Ye are cursed with 
a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole 
nation.” (Mai. 3: 9.) Read the whole of Malachi, 
would you learn God’s lesson upon finance, to His 
people. 

These tithes were not a gift; they were rentals 
demanded of God. To keep them was robbing the 
Lord not of what He had given us, but of what 
He had reserved to Himself. How often men 
settle down in covetousness, and say, “The Lord 
loveth a cheerful giver.” It is not a gift they make 
till after the tenth is paid. Then God would ac¬ 
cept a free-will offering. 

Shall I draw the picture of Israel going out 
from the most abject slavery, with God as their 
only heritage; into a wilderness the most desolate, 
and rockbound; to a country the most barren? 
Under a statute the most implicit, they must give 
for the support of their ministry, one-tenth of all 
their income. This was of itself an enormous 
tax under which men now would groan most 
pathetically. But added to this was their burnt- 
offerings, which is estimated at about nine per 
cent more of their income. Besides this, the wave 


464 The King and His Kingdom 

offerings, thank-offerings, etc., took over two- 
tenths of their income making forty per cent of all 
that God gave them. 

Besides, 94 days of each year, were given to 
public worship. We can scarcely spare 52 days in 
a year. 

Besides, one hour every day for sacred wor¬ 
ship. We think one hour a week is extravagant 
and only a few can spare that. 

Besides, every seventh year was sabbatical, 
wherein nothing was gathered. And also, every 
fiftieth year was without increase. Yet there was 
no famine. When walking in the statutes of their 
God, they became, in a land the most sterile, with 
so little arable land, or fertile vales, amid rock- 
bound hills, a people of great wealth; and their 
free-will offerings were enormous. 

Think of Davids contributions for the temple; 
the wonderful wealth of Solomon; the grandeur of 
the City of the King; and of the adornments of 
Zion, the mountain of the Lord’s house. 

We cannot conceive of such growth Irom the 
poverty of their slavery, to the richness of that 
people in the land whither they went, without 
realizing that Jehovah was their God, and His 
blessing was upon the righteous, and that faith¬ 
fulness in Him is a goodly heritage for all. 

Paul looking back over the history of that 
people said, “These things were written for our 


Finance 


465 


learning”; (Ro. 15: 4) and were given for our ex¬ 
ample upon whom the ends of the world are come; 
and are witten for that purpose. (1 Cor. 10: 11.) 

So the first organic act, under the new dispen¬ 
sation, was a provision for the revenue. Not a 
system in which the officiary were bought and 
sold like calves in the stall; and “hired” or not 
“hired,” according as they would conform to the 
wishes of their masters. Under the old dispensa¬ 
tion the ministry and the altar were supported by 
the chosen of God. 

No going down into Egypt to beg was allowed. 
It cost Israel a most terrible defeat because they 
sought succor from Egypt; and by a most terrible 
demonstration upon Assyria, God showed His 
ability to take care of His own. As His people 
could not go into Egypt for succor without com¬ 
ing more or less under the obligations of Egypt, 
so the saints cannot go to the world for help with¬ 
out coming more or less under obligations to the 
world. 

As the old dispensation was a dispensation of 
rules, which always enslaves those who are under 
them; how much stronger should be the obligation 
of those who are placed under principles; with 
the liberty and enlargement of life which they 
give. 

The early saints coming into the kingdom—the 
church—came into fellowship with each other, and 


466 


The King and His Kingdom 


with God. Fellowship means partnership in 
which there is investment and labor. If we invest 
nothing, and do nothing, we can expect nothing. 
The work was missionary work, and church edifi¬ 
cation. The duties were reciprocal. Each was 
bound in that fellowship to help the other. Paul 
says those who have partaken of spiritual things, 
were debtors to help in carnal things, and thus 
the man who cannot contribute to the spiritual 
good of the church, should contribute freely to the 
temptoral things, ’till he can. To do this is a duty 
(Ro. 15: 27) to himself, as well as to others in the 
fellowship, that each may perform his part. 

Ministrations in carnal things, became a duty 
to those who have received spiritual blessings. 
The church is set for the gospel. The motive was 
not because of the law; but because of a loving 
heart. “Though I give all my goods to feed the 
poor and my body to be burned, without love it 
profits nothing.” (1 Cor. 13). 

The heart made willing by love is accepted ac¬ 
cording to its ability. This was represented by 
the churches of Macedonia, who were willing be¬ 
yond their power. (2 Cor. 8: 2-4). 

Christ says to Simon where much is given, they 
love much, and the manifestation of that love is 
in the gifts made. The love the bible talks of, is not 
an emotional ecstasy, but a deliberate life. The 
love of God to man was shown by the gift of His 


Finance 


467 


Son; while our love for God is manifested in obed¬ 
ience; and our love for our fellows is shown by the 
sacrifice we make in others’ behalf. To come from 
love it need not be from deep emotions; but from 
deliberate contemplation—from faith. 

Paul to the Corinthians speaks of a willingness 
a year ago, and teaches that having deliberately 
resolved, that willingness would be accepted ac¬ 
cording to what they had. 

And the standard is ability. When the dis¬ 
ciples determined to send relief to the brethren of 
Judea, it was said every man according to his 
ability should give. (Acts 11: 29). 

The result was equality. (2 Cor. 8: 14.) 

Jesus said of the woman who had dropped two 
mites into the treasury, that she had given more 
than any; she had given her all, out of her penny, 
while they of their riches had give sparingly. 

Equality therefore is based on ability, in what 
a man hath; and not in what he hath not. Our 
ability is known by God’s gifts to us. “As God 
has prospered us.” The proportion is fixed in our 
mind by the teaching of God under former dispen¬ 
sations. Under this dispensation men act from 
principle; but this principle is fixed from the require¬ 
ments from rules before laid down; and from these 
rules the principle is obtained. A man left under 
principle should not do less than was required 
under rules, to which he was a slave ’till they had 


468 


The King and His Kingdom 


fulfilled their work, and he who was under them 
reached his majority, and stepped out, to be led by 
principles. 

Rules are for man in his minority, but principles, 
which are derived from these rules, are for a larger 
and fuller life. Certainly a man could not do less 
under principles, than he had been taught to do 
under rules. 

“As God has prospered us.” The proportion 
of that prosperity was set forth in the Jewish and 
Patriarchal dispensations, where by rule God re¬ 
quired a tenth. What will He expect under the 
Christian dispensation, with the high development 
of culture, and established principles? 

Nor is there anything more ruinous to faith, 
and trust in God, than our system of collections. 
The subscription is made, not upon the consider¬ 
ation of how much can I give, but how little can 
I get along with. To make a success a great ex¬ 
citement must be raised and much feeling aroused. 
Little difference whether that feeling is the result of 
pride, or shame, or vain glory. Every passion of 
the human soul is appealed to; but not faith in God 
and trust in the Redeemer. 

Often the pious give more than they can afford, 
and are thus “burdened”; while others more able 
are “eased.” 

But under the Christian system God has left it 
with each to fix the proportion, with God’s judg- 


Finance 


469 


ment and the terrible retribution of Ananias and 
Sapphira before us. With faith in God, we give 
as “He prospers us.” 

We are not to wait till we get rich, but “Upon 
the first day of the week”—some render it every 
first day of the week; but there is but one first 
day of the week—“let every one of you lay by him 
in store as God hath prospered him.” (1 Cor. 
16 : 2 ). 

It is not according to the urgent need; but ac¬ 
cording as God has prospered us. The present 
urgent need is not the question, but God’s gift to 
you shall be the standard; and the gratitude of a 
loving heart shall fix the proportion. God says, 
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, and 
prove me, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open 
the windows of heaven, and pour you out a bles¬ 
sing that there shall not be room enough to re¬ 
ceive it. And I will rebuke the destroyer for your 
sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your 
ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit be¬ 
fore the time, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Mai. 
3 : 10 - 11 .) 

It is not a question of whether the Lord’s 
treasury is full or empty. 

It is a question of your faith in God, and the 
gratitude of your heart. 

The tithes belong to God, and if His house is 
overflowing you have no more right to it, than if 


470 The King and His Kingdom 

His house were empty. Our weekly division is a 
continual acknowledgement of our dependence up¬ 
on God, and His gifts to us. From His treasury 
thus replenished every week, God supports His 
ministry that He “sends” to you; and if His treas¬ 
ury is low He may replenish it through gifts to 
you. 

Thus it is “ready as a blessing and not as an 
exaction.” A blessing to the giver, who shows 
his daily gratitude to God by the daily divisions 
thus made. “As God has prospered.” The pro¬ 
portion of that prosperity is learned, from “The 
things written afore time.” (Ro. 15: 4). 

Not the bad debts, the lame and the halt, shall 
be given to God; but such “as pass under the rod.” 
A rod was held up, and the herd was driven under 
it, and every tenth one was taken, good or had. 

The time fixed for this division is positive. 
“Upon the first day of the week lay by in store as 
the Lord has prospered you.” (1 Cor. 16: 2). 

By this arrangement there will be no carnal¬ 
ity manifested; by which we will pay so much for 
one preacher, and more for another, and noth¬ 
ing for a third; and the “calling” will not be from 
the contributions; and the contributions from the 
“calling”; but the Lord’s treasury will support 
the Lord’s work. 

There is left, as always among God’s people, 
an opportunity for free-will offerings, which, if 




Finance 471 

given to the Lord, will go into the Lord’s treas¬ 
ury; but if given to men will go direct to the one 
who receives it, and from him we must get our re¬ 
ward. We cannot expect the Lord to pay for our 
favoritism. Jesus says of such, “Verily they have 
their reward.” The reward is commensurate with 
the design of the giver. If secretly given to the 
Lord, “Himself will reward you openly.” 

But that the teacher or pastor or those set to 
watch for your souls may know that each is do¬ 
ing their whole duty, and no Ananias or Sapphira 
is harbored in the church, it is necessary that the 
contribution of each, should be known. Benev¬ 
olence may be done in secret, but the payment of 
debts should be known, that each may be relieved 
of embarrassment. This division of prosperity is 
a debt to the Lord. If paid by all, there will be no- 
need of subscriptions except for free-will offering; 
and if they are given to the Lord they will go into 
the Lord’s treasury; but if an act of benevolence 
they will be done in secret, with the left hand 
ignorant of what the right hand doeth. 

Thus the Lord’s poor will be cared for, and 
insurance and lodges will not be needed, but every 
good work will be done in the Lord’s name; and 
to Him will be the power, and the honor, and the 
glory. 0! “When He comes, will He find faith on 
the earth?” Could we but lay aside our wisdom, 
in human development, and adopt the Lord’s wis- 


472 The King and His Kingdom 

dom, we would all advance more rapidly in 
growth and numbers. 

It was John Wesley who said, he would not 
like to die and go to judgment with more than 
twenty pounds of the Lord’s money in his hands. 

What a blessing God has made him in the 
earth; and what a blessing God has bestowed up¬ 
on him. 

Think of the wealth he now holds in the 
churches, universities, etc., held in, and deeded to 
his name. 

I knew another reformer in some respects 
much greater, than he, whom God bless with much 
for his work-sake; but in his gifts he forgot the 
Lord’s share and the children to whom he gave 
his estate soon became bankrupt, I am told, and 
the estate finally fell into the hands of the devil, 
and his people, and the house of the Lord was left 
wanting, and a half million was scattered without 
honoring Christ or blessing His kingdom. 

I knew a very pious young mechanic, who 
married a wife as godly as himself. They started 
out with Jacob’s vow, that, “Of all thou givest 
me I will surelv give a tenth unto Thee.” 

But a short time of labor, under the blessing 
of God, till from penury, they reached affluence, 
and they said, we can now assuredly give God a 
fifth. It was done, and they moved on under 


Finance 


473 


God’s blessing till they said, “We will give half.” 
And with the half they retained, they became rich. 

How many other young mechanics have I 
known who burned up in cigars, what they could 
not use otherwise; and gave the Lord nothing, 
and are dispised, or unknown to-day. And they 
are without a home, or a competence. They have 
never been a blessing to any, and God has given 
no blessing to them. 

“When the son of man comes will he find faith 
on the earth?” (Luke 18: 8.) 

The inquiry of the Divine One, makes it appear 
doubtful. From sixty years observation, I can 
but ask, with bowed head, Will He? 


CHAPTER XLI. 

PRAISE AND SONG. 

Since God has ordained praise in His kingdom, 
it seems best we should know what praise to His 
great name, and praise to His son, Jesus Christ, is; 
and what He wall accept from His subjects. But 
for His revelation we cannot know what He will 
accept; and if we expect to learn from that revela¬ 
tion of His will, the revelation must be carefully 
and critically studied. We cannot guess at what 
He will accept, for His thoughts are above our 
thoughts, and His way above our ways. “Who 
hath known the mind of the Lord that he may in¬ 
struct Him?” 

Much has been said upon one side; but from 
what has been said, I conceive little study has 
been given it. To know what God has authorized, 
a careful induction; and critical analysis of every 
passage is imperative. We cannot look for union 
and harmony without enlightment; nor expeet 
faith without teaching. 

Knowing A. Campbell and B. Franklin were 
opposed to instrumental music I was quite preju¬ 
diced against it, and thought it an unauthorized in- 
474 


Praise and Song 


475 


novation; and when “called” to the church of New 
York City that was using a pipe-organ in worship, 
I refused to respond till I had taken two weeks 
for the study of the subject; as I did not wish to 
carry discord where peace prevailed. The things 
herein set forth are the result of that study. 

Supposing everyone as honest as I was, and 
being a correspondent of the A. C. Review, pub¬ 
lished by Ben. Franklin at Cincinnati, 0., I wrote 
an article for the paper setting forth what I had 
learned from my study; but the article was sent 
back with the assurance that he was not going to 
open the columns of the “Review” for the discus¬ 
sion of the organ question. 

During that time each paper was full of tirades 
against it. 

When Ben Franklin had passed the mist, to 
the place where they “praise God with harps in 
their hands;” or to the place where they don’t;— 
(God forbid that I should judge any man, or pre¬ 
tend to say where they have gone)—and Rowe 
and Rice were running the paper, there was some¬ 
thing against the use of organs in every issue that 
I saw; I was holding a meeting from home, and 
seeing a paper in which an editorial said, “Why 
don’t someone answer Bro. Creath on organs, if 
they think they can?” I picked up the paper that 
had Bro. Creath’s article in, and it being so fully 
indorsed, I expected it to end the controversy. But 


476 The King and His Kingdom 

it was the same old song; assertion, condemna¬ 
tion, etc., without a particle of inductive reason¬ 
ing. As the editor had given the challenge I wrote 
a short piece and sent to the paper; and immedi¬ 
ately received my essay back with a statement, 
saying, “We cannot afford to open our columns to 
the discussion of the organ question.” I then un¬ 
derstood that the} r intended to profit by the strife 
of the church; and keep up their circulation by 
catering to the prejudice, and passions of the few; 
and that, too,^bv keeping them as profoundly in 
ignorance as possible. It would be useless to put 
it into the Standard, for that subject was used to 
prejudice the people against the Standard; and 
the Standard was not read by them. 

We had no organization to control such mat¬ 
ters;': as anyone can publish a schismatical paper, 
and write, and have his pets write, what he will, 
and publish it to the dividing of the church; and 
we have no way to call a halt. That is the char¬ 
acter of our papers at the present time. I do not 
know an exception. 

R. B. Neal was sending me his little paper, and 
he said in one number he would like to publish an 
article from some one, who thought they could 
find any authority for the use of organs, in the 
New Testament. Not wishing to write, when I 
felt assured it would be ruled out, I sent him a let¬ 
ter asking if he would publish it if I wrote? He 


Praise and Song 


477 


answered disuading me, and saying, you know, 
Bro. Stark, you can’t find any authority for it in 
the New Testament. To let him know what I 
could find I wrote a short essay, but it never ap¬ 
peared. Since then I have felt, that those editors, 
so wonderfully conscientious on the use of organs 
in the church, are not as conscientously opposed 
to some other things worse. 

It seems impossible to set forth the kingdom 
of our Lord, without a glance at what He has ap¬ 
pointed in the kingdom. 

Nor could we expect, when all things are care¬ 
fully arranged, and the minutia so fully made 
known in such detail, that the elements of accept¬ 
able worship should be left out; and the subjects 
of the kingdom be commanded to praise their king; 
and not taught what praise is, and how rendered. 
Were a missionary to tell a cannibal to sing, and 
not explain how, he would sing like a cannibal. 
Or if he should tell a heathen to praise God from 
whom all blessings flow, without teaching him 
how, he would certainly offer the praise of a 
heathen, and such, as a heathen is taught. 

In the development of the race, nothing was 
harder to teach than the purity of God—His holi¬ 
ness. It was constantly illustrated. No hybrids, 
no linsey-woolsey, no mixture at all. All this to 
impress the purity of God. All things had to be 
taught before understood. Not personally to each 


478 


The King and His Kingdom 


individual; but in the experiences of life, by the 
things handed down, in the “Things written afore 
time for our learning.” (Ro. 15: 4.) 

These scriptures, given by inspiration of God, 
are profitable for reproof, for correction, for in¬ 
struction in right-doing, that the man of God may 
be perfect. (2 Tim. 3: 16-19.) The scriptures to 
which Paul here referred were the teachings of the 
prophets of the Old Dispensation. 

So praise could not be understood without in¬ 
struction upon what would be acceptable to God. 
For this purpose prophets were raised up, and 
duly inspired, that the minutia of worship might 
be fully explained, The Old Dispensations were 
for the purpose of teaching God’s people these 
rudimental lessons. God commands His people 
to sing; but how to sing would be unknown to a 
people untaught. 

Mr. Campbell beautifully said,“Jubal invented 
the harp, and piety consecrated it to the praise of 
God.” 

It speaks well for Mr. Campbell to say that, 
“Piety consecrated it.” Then it was not the “flesh 
under a fleshly dispensation” that demanded it. 

But in this Mr. C. was mistaken. It was not 
permitted but it was “commanded of the Lord by 
His prophets.” “And he(Hezekiah) set the Levites 
in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psal¬ 
teries, and with harps, according to the command- 


Praise and Song 


479 


ment of David, and of God the king’s seer, and 
Nathan the prophet, for so was the commandment 
of the Lord by His prophets.” ( 2 Chron. 29: 25). 

If any doubt if God will be worshiped by what 
some call “ machine worship” let them read this 
whole chapter. 

If God commanded it to be used in His praise, 
by His prophets, can we “walk by faith” in refus¬ 
ing to use it? until He has changed the command? 
If God changes. 

Paul endorses this by the Holy Spirit in the 
New Testament and says it was written for our 
learning. (Ro. 15: 5). And is profitable for in¬ 
struction in right doing—righteousness. (2 Tim. 
3: 16). 

What the New Testament endorses of Old 
Testament teaching, is surely New Testament 
doctrine, and to follow it is walking by faith. 

Mr. Campbell was more imaginative than 
scriptural when he said “Instrumental music 
being fleshly it was permitted under the fleshly 
dispensation.” 

It was not permitted; it was commanded of 
God by His prophets. 

Can Mr. C. tell anything that was fleshly that 
was permitted under the law. Adultery, fornifica- 
tion, laciviousness, and all the works of the flesh 
were ruled out. But God commanded this. W 7 ho 
said it was fleshly? 


480 The King and His Kingdom 

“It was commanded of the Lord by His proph¬ 
ets;” that the people might render acceptable 
praise. 

Under the New Testament we are taught to 
praise God; but are not told how. 

We know not what would be acceptable praise 
until taught; and could come to no harmonious 
understanding, or practice, without such teach¬ 
ing. 

Where in the New Testament are we taught 
what is acceptable praise? Echo repeats the ques¬ 
tion. So also we are told to sing; but where are 
we told how to sing? That must be learned from 
“the things written afore time.” 

We have each one an idea of what it is to sing; 
but was that idea taught us from God? Or did 
it come from man? 

If God tells us to “sing” and does not tell us 
how, we must get our ideas from heathen mythol¬ 
ogy, heathen practice, or our own wild imagina¬ 
tions. 

We might get right and we might get wrong, 
but it would surely be discordant. 

God must by his prophets somewhere, some¬ 
time, and somehow, teach us how to sing or we 
cannot be led by faith. 

Enos Campbell, nephew of Alexander Camp¬ 
bell, and a preacher of note; told me that his 
grandfather, Thomas Campbell, did not know one 


Praise and Song 


481 


tune from another; and could not make a noise 
that had the least harmony of musical sounds; and 
could only judge a tune by its meter. Of course he 
opposed all helps to song, even to a tuning fork; 
for if it were right to help pitch the first note there 
could be no sin in helps for the second note, and so 
on. The pitch was by no means annoying to him. 
It would be just as well not to pitch it at all. 

He would allow but one part of a tune sung 
at once; and he could not tell if it were the bass or 
soprano. To convince the dear man of his mis¬ 
take, his grandson and three others arranged a 
quartet, and by a watch at the door, they were 
well in the midst of it, whc n the good bishop came 
in. And they were rendering it most beautifully. 

He decorously walked down the aisle to the 
pulpit, and patiently waited till the close of the 
song. When it was through he arose and severely 
lectured the young people for singing four tunes 
at once in the house of the Lord; where every thing 
should be done decently and in order. Thus if left 
to ourselves, and our ideas of right, we would have 
discord in the church as well as in the songs we 
there sing. 

If God commands us to sing His praises, He 
has certainly somewhere told us how it is done. 
If not in the New Testament we must go back to 
the “things that were written before for our learn¬ 
ing. (Ro. 15: 4). 


482 The King and His Kingdom 

By the knowledge of these things we shall, like 
Timothy, be wise unto salvation if faith in the 
Lord Jesus is added to that knowledge. 

Paul says, “From a child thou hast known the 
holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise 
unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus 
Christ.” (2 Tim. 3: 15.) The holy scriptures were 
the Old Testament, the law, the prophets, and the 
psalms. Thus Paul endorses them. 

I wish to say that no man can understand the 
New who is not familiar with the Old. The Old 
Testament scriptures are as much the word of 
God, and therefore have as much Christ in them, 
as the New Testament scriptures have. Both are 
the word of God, and as I have shown, Christ is 
the word ol God embodied and you cannot receive 
Christ and reject God’s word; and as you honor 
that word so you honor Christ. 

It is not the person of Christ so much as the 
divinity of Christ as “Born of God,’’ “Come forth 
from God,’’ “From the bosom of the Father,” and 
“Declares Him to us.” 

“All scripture is given by inspirations of God 
and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for cor¬ 
rection, for instruction in righteousness; that the 
man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished 
unto all good works.” (2 Tim. 3: 16-17.) 

If the New Testament indorses the Old Testa¬ 
ment, then the Old is a part of the New. Don’t 


Praise and Song 


483 


misunderstand me. There is a change in the priest¬ 
hood and consequently a change in law, and a 
change in the covenant; but the teaching of God; 
His attributes, character, wisdom, purity, love, 
etc., are always the same; and the New has made 
no change from the Old but accepts it all. 

With this introduction, we shall proceed by in¬ 
duction to know God’s will in the past, and then 
we shall study His will under the present dispen¬ 
sation; canvassing the scriptures thoroughly to 
learn God’s teaching upon a subject that has been 
such a vexation to many good men. 

I would repeat, that very little has been writ¬ 
ten upon the affirmative side of this next question; 
while a few have been constantly harping against 
instrumental music in the churches; and have 
sought hard to, and have succeeded in some places, 
in dividing the church. 

Let us see what we can find in our study. The 
beginning of music upon the harp and the organ 
was contemporary with the invention of it. Jubal 
the son of Lamech invented the organ and harp; and 
his brother Jabal was the father of all such as 
dwell in tents. Both inventions have been used 
for home purposes, and in the Lord’s service, with¬ 
out a single mark of God’s displeasure. Indeed 
both were commanded of God, by His prophets, to 
be used by His people. Not permitted but com¬ 
manded. 


484 


The King and His Kingdom 


During the long period of Jewish history, while 
God was revealing His will, and His attributes; 
there is not found a single expression of distaste 
for either. 

By what authority do we discard the one, and 
accept the other? 

I would as soon object to a tent as an organ 
upon the ground that is generally taken. Can a 
man now walk by faith and hold meetings in a 
tent upon the plea that God has not commanded 
it in the New Testament? There is no proof that 
Christ or the apostles ever worshipped under a 
tent. 

The next instance of record is where Laban 
complains that he was not permitted to send Jacob 
away with song and mirth, withtabret and harp. 
(Gen. 31: 27). 

In that early day instruments of music were 
used in invoking God’s blessings upon the depart¬ 
ing. Jacob’s leaving was not a subject for jollity. 
and rioting; but of solemn sadness; and Laban 
proposed to impart his blessing as he left that 
home forever, with songs upon the tabret and 
harp. 

Continuing our induction we find the next 
case, in the deliverance of the children of Israel 
from Egypt. Having crossed the Red sea, they 
tarried on the bank to sing a song of praise to God 
for the deliverance wrought. 


Praise and Song 


485 


Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, 
took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went 
out after her with timbrels and dances. (Ex. 15: 
20). ‘‘Timbrels and pipes.” would no doubt be a 
better translation. People do not carry dances as 
they do timbrels. Dances are made for the occas¬ 
ion; but in this case whatever it was, it was car¬ 
ried with them the same as the timbrels. 

We are told that pipe, and dance, are from 
the same Hebrew word; and the translation must 
be from the context. If this be so we need not 
stop to discuss dancing in connection with the 
music question. The passage shows that it was 
customary in those early days to give praise to 
God in songs with instrumental accompaniment, 
expressive of gratitude in joy and triumph. 

It teaches that on occasions of thanksgiving, 
instruments of music were habitually used; with 
every reason to believe, with Divine acceptance 
and favor. 

With timbrel and harp the women answered 
back the chorus of the song of Moses. 

Sing unto the Lord, 

For He hath triumphed gloriously; 

The horse and the rider, 

Pie hath thrown into the sea.” 

This style of praise and thanksgivingwaskept 
up to the period of Judges; (Judges 11: 34) where 
the daughter of Jephthah, without knowing the 


486 The King and His Kingdom 

fatal oath of her father, welcomed the victor to 
his home in Mizpeh “with timbrels and pipes ” 

So David, returning from the slaughter of the 
Philistines, was met in all the cities of Israel by the 
women “with tabrets, with joy, and with instru¬ 
ments of music.” (1 Sam. 18: 6). 

During this period God permitted their use 
without a single demurrer; and it was practiced 
by the most saintly, and those walking nearest to 
God, in their expression of gratitude and praise. 

Surely if it were so offensive to God He should 
have made it known when Israel was under His 
tutleage, and being taught His likes and dislikes. 
If it were improper praise, why, in some of God’s 
lessons was the fact not set forth. 

We come now to notice where it- was used in 
religious worship with Divine sanction. 

When Samuel had anointed Saul to be King 
over Israel, in describing to him the place where 
he should be made another man, said, “You shall 
come to the hill of God, where is a garrison of the 
Philistines, and it shall come to pass, when thou 
art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet 
a company of prophets coming down from the 
high places, with a psaltery and a tabret, and a 
harp, and a pipe before them, and they shall 
prophesy; and the spirit of the Lord will come up¬ 
on thee; and thou shalt be turned into another 
man. (1 Sam 10: 5-6). 


Praise and Song 


487 


These were the prophets of the Lord and the 
spirit of the Lord did then, and there, come upon 
Saul. 

This demonstrates that the true prophets of 
the Lord to whom God gave the spirit of prop¬ 
hesy—“Holy men of old spake as they were mov¬ 
ed by the Holy Spirit”—were not under God’s 
teaching opposed to instrumental music when en¬ 
gaged in God’s service. That they enjoyed the 
presence of Jehovah in the midst of instrumental 
strains. 

It proves that the spirit of God was not exor¬ 
cised by such musical chords. 

We therefore reason that if any man refuses to 
prophesy (exhort) because of the sound of an in¬ 
strument of music, the spirit of the Lord is not on 
him. The spirit of Israel’s God is the spirit of 
Christ. “If any man have not the spirit of Christ 
he is none of His.” (Ro. 8: 9). 

Where the spirit of the Lord is, instrumental 
strains will not hinder our work. With this asso¬ 
ciation of harps, psalteries, etc., and the spirit of 
God; who told Bro. Campbell that such music is 
fleshly? 

But in the case of Jehosophat and the King of 
Israel coming to Elisha to obtain help in their dis¬ 
tress, “And Elisha said, * * * Bring me a min¬ 
strel. And it came to pass when the minstrel 


488 The King and His Kingdom 

played that the hand of the Lord came upon him.’ * 
(11 Kings 3: 15). 

Is it possible the spirit of the Lord would be 
invoked by an instrument of music in the hands of 
a minstrel? 

Would to God we had more “wooden worship” 
if it would produce such blessings from God. Talk 
of “wooden praise,” I think this would be wooden 
supplication. And yet God heard it, and the bles¬ 
sing came, and the spirit of prophesy came upon 
Elisha. 

But we have a case still more to the point in 
services at the temple dedication. 

“And it came to pass when the priests were 
come out of the Holy place, for all the priests were 
sanctified and did not wait by course. Also the 
Levites which were the singers * * * being 
arrayed in fine linen, having cymbals and psalter¬ 
ies, and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, 
and with them a hundred and twenty priests, 
soundings with trumpets; it came to pass as the 
trumpeters, and singers, were as one to make one 
sound to be heard in praising and thanking God ; 
and when they lifted up their voice with the trum¬ 
pets, and cymbals, and instruments of music, and 
praised the Lord saying, “For He is good and His 
mercy endureth forever”; that then the house was 
filled with a cloud; even the house of the Lord. 
(11 Chron. 5: 11-13). 


Praise and Song 


489 


Here is choir singing and instrumental music 
sanctioned bv God Himself, who came down in 
the midst of it. 

All kinds of instruments, and one hundred and 
twenty trumpets, were brought into requisition 
with such Divine favor, that when they sang and 
played upon all manner of instruments of music, 
and the one hundred and twenty trumpets were 
sounded, the cloud came down and the glory of 
the Lord filled the house of God. 

What a contrast between the past and pres¬ 
ent. Now a single organ will drive out the spirit 
of God, and raise the devil in its place; stop the 
mouth of a public herald of the cross; and cause a 
manifestation of more stubborness than caused 
the rejection of Saul from being King. (1 Sam 
15: 22-23). 

Has God changed? Is He so changeable? It 
so why has He not told us of that change, and 
not left it as a matter of conjecture? 

To praise God with instruments of music was 
customary among His people, and wherever it 
was offered, it was acceptable praise. 

“He commanded it by His prophets.” When 
did He command it to be stopped? 

For it there are precepts and precedents with¬ 
out number. Against it there is not a precept nor 
example in the whole history of God’s revelation 
to man. Who has come, since God’s revelation 


490 The King and His Kingdom 

closed, into the temple of God, and as God assumes 
to give laws to His people. I am fearful in our 
journe\ r to Jerusalem, we have onW reached Rome 
as yet in many things. 

When bringing the ark from Kirjath-jerim, 
“David and all Israel, played before God with all 
their might; with singing and with harps, and 
with psaltries and cymbals, and with timbrels and 
with trumpets. (1 Chron. 13: 8). 

Did God ever object to it, or call it machine 
praise? 

Also in bringing it from Obed-Edom, to the 
place prepared for it by the King, “David spake to 
the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren 
to be singers; with instruments of music, psalter¬ 
ies, and harps, and cymbals, sounding, by lifting 
up the voice with joy. * * * Thus all Israel 
brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord; 
with shoutings, and with the sound of the cornet, 
and with trumpets, and with cymbals; making a 
noise with psalteries and harps. * * * And he 
appointed Levites to minister before the ark of 
the Lord, and to record, and to thank, and to 
praise the Lord God of Israel, with psalteries, and 
harps.” (1 Chron. 15: 16 and 28 and 16: 4-6). 

Thus they sung the 105th Psalm, which David 
gave into the hands of Asaph, the appointed lead¬ 
er of the choir. 


Praise and Song 


491 


We have have no record of any psalm being 
sung between Moses and Luther without instru¬ 
mental accompaniment. And will not that God, 
whom we love to think is the same yesterday, to¬ 
day, and forever, accept the same praise today, as 
of old, if He has given no instruction to the con¬ 
trary? 

During that period God was revealing His 
own definition of words. He illustrated holiness, 
that we may know what He will accept as such. 
He illustrated the truth of His word when more 
than 50,000 died for looking into the ark. And 
honest Ussiah died for touching it. God could not 
tell a lie to save the whole race of men. 

His justice was illustrated by Christ on the 
cross. Thus, all His attributes, have been taught 
by examples. 

In like manner He has clearly set forth that 
which to Him is acceptable praise, and the word 
used to express it, is clearly defined. God’s idea is 
illustrated, not ours. If we think it is wrong we 
take issue with God. 

We have not yet been reconciled to God; not 
even by the death of His Son. (Ro. 5: 8.) God 
forbid that I shall be among the number, who set 
aside the history of the past written for the admo¬ 
nition of those upon whom the ends of the world 
are come. Nor can I believe that the change of 
dispensations, has changed the spirit of Abra- 


492 The King and His Kingdom 

ham’s God. If we are told that this was under 
the fleshy dispensation, we reply that, that was 
not for the cultivation of the flesh but for its re¬ 
straint. The whole economy was for the most 
severe subjugation of all fleshy impulses, and the 
purification of life from all fleshy desires. 

Can we suppose that under that most rigid 
discipline, God would accept such praise, with 
such indications of favor, it it were so carnal as 
many declare? 

The scriptures from which we have been quot¬ 
ing are the same that Paul commends Timothy 
for knowing, and declares them to be profitable 
for reproof, and for correction, and for instruction 
in righteousness. The apostles would not be long 
in silencing a preacher who did away with the 
Old Testament. 

How men who have any knowledge of script¬ 
ural exeqesis can apply, 2 Tim. 3: 16-17 to New 
Testament scripture, is beyond my ken. It refers 
solely to the Jewish scriptures and tells us they 
are profitable for teaching—“doctrine.” It is a 
mistake to think our doctrine is all found in the 
New Testament. Many things we must learn 
from the Old Testament or not learn at all, “For 
correction and instruction in righteousness.” Will 
they not correct our ideas of singing and teach us 
right doing in that line? Righteousness is right 


Praise and Song 


493 


doing. “He who does right is righteous.” John 
says. 

Why discriminate upon the subject of instruc¬ 
tion and say we must not learn about the subject 
of praise to God, but may learn all about His re¬ 
gard for obedience to His commands? 

May we learn what He will accept for right¬ 
eousness but not what He will accept as praise? 
If they are for correction, and instruction, why 
not let them correct our psalmody and singing? I 
know of nothing so foolish among our brethren as 
the idea some have of throwing away the instruc¬ 
tion of the Old Testament in the divine life. 

These sacred oracles certainly have The un¬ 
qualified endorsement of Paul, and by what 
authority we refuse their instruction I cannot tell. 

Has the Holy Spirit of this dispensation, re¬ 
jected the Holy Spirit of that? I trow not. 

Having noticed the things recorded for our 
learning, in those scriptures given by inspiration 
of God for correction and instruction in righteous¬ 
ness; we will now look for wisdom to David, 
whom God endorsed as a man after His own 
heart. Speaking as a prophet of the time when 
God shall bring His people from Bashaw, and from 
the depths of the sea, he said: 

When the singers went before, 

The players on instruments followed after; 

The damsels among them playing on timbrel, 


494 The King and His Kingdom 

Bless ye God in the congregation, 

The Lord from the fountain of Isreal. 

—Ps. 68: 22 and 23-26. 

When music charms the ear, then bless the 
Lord from the heart. 

But David is more explicit in his later psalms, 
saying: 

“Praise ye the Lord, 

It is good to sing praises unto our God, 

It is pleasant, 

For praise is comely.” 

-Ps. 147: 1. 

He then gives reasons for praising Him; be¬ 
cause He buildeth up Jerusalem; healeth the broken 
in heart; telleth the number of stars; lifteth up the 
meek, etc., and then tells us how to sing, saying: 

“Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving.” 

This describes what ought to be the spirit of 
the heart while we sing; but not the manner of 
singing. This he explains in the next sentence: 
“Sing praise upon the harp to our God.” 

This is an inspired definition of singing. There¬ 
fore when inspiration says, “Singing and making 
melody in the heart to the Lord;” (Eph. 5: 19), 
“Singing with grace in your heart to the Lord,” 
(Col. 3: 16), we know what it is to sing, without 
going to the Greek word, “ac/o,” which Pickering 
defines “to sing, to play upon a musical instru¬ 
ment.” For we find the same inspiration has de- 


Praise and Song 


495 


fined the word long years ago—before He gave the 
injunction—He gave the definition through David, 
saying, “Sing upon the harp to our God.” 

This tells how the singing which God vill ac¬ 
cept is performed, “Upon the harp.” 

This is farther explained in another psalm: 
Praise ye the Lord; 

Sing unto the Lord a new song, 

Plis praise in the congregation of saints.” 

This is an exhortation to sing; but explaining 
how it is done he says, “Let them praise His name 
with the pipe,” “Let them sing praises unto Him 
with the timbrel and harp.” Ps. 149: 1-3. 

With these psalms fresh in the memory of the 
great pupil of Gamaliel, we can understand the 
meaning of the above passages, and know what 
Paul meant, and what he expected them to do 
when he counseled “singing" in the churches at 
Ephesus, and Collosse; and why he used the 
word “ado” which contains within it simply a 
celebration in poetry; and does not confine us to a 
system of vocal music as some suppose. 

Also the Psalmist describing the goodness of 
God in Ps. 148; calls upon the people and all the 
intelligence above to praise Him, saying: 

“Praise ye the Lord, 

Praise Him from the heavens, 

Praise Him in the heights, 

Praise Him all His angels, 


496 


The King and His Kingdom 


Praise Him all His hosts.’’ 

Then naming nations, hills, earth, fire, kings, 
beasts, young men, maidens, he says: 

“Let them praise the name of the Lord; 

For His name alone is excellent.” (Ibib.) 

Then speaking of His goodness to the children 
of Israel, and to all His saints, He turns from na¬ 
ture to the children of His grace, and says 

“Praise ye the Lord, 

Sing unto the Lord a new song.” 

And then tells them how to sing the new song, 
in the congregation of the saints. 

“Let them sing praises to Him with the tim¬ 
brel and harp.” (Ps. 149: 1-5). 

A man would be a poor exegete who would 
claim that sun, moon, hills, earth, angels, etc., are 
all in the same place. 

I can conceive of nothing more clearly defined 
than the above injunction of the Psalmist. 

He calls upon the sun, moon and stars to 
praise God; but does not say where nor what on. 
He calls upon the beasts and all cattle to praise 
God; but does not say how. So also he calls 
mountain, rain, etc., to praise Him, but tell of no 
methods. 

He calls upon the saints and all His people to 
praise His name, and sing His praises, and tells 
them how to do it. 


Praise and Song 497 

Sing praise unto Plim with the timbrel and 
harp.” 

He expressly says it shall be done upon the 
cymbal, and harp, and psaltery, etc., in the con¬ 
gregation of the saints; or the public assembly. 

Notice, the instruments were not to praise 
God; but man was to praise God upon them. Nor 
were they to sing; but man was to sing His praise 
on instruments of music—to praise God with them; 
and that, “In the congregation of the saints.” 

The manner of praise was clearly defined, by 
singing upon instruments of music. And two places 
were enumerated where it should be done by the 
“ye” addressed. 

1st. In their private homes; “upon their 
couches.” 

2nd. In the congregation of the saints, or in 
the public assembly. 

Concerning our home privileges there is no dis¬ 
agreement; although there is neither precept nor 
example in the whole Divine record for using an 
instrument to gratify the flesh. They were com¬ 
manded to be used for praise. 

We only disagree concerning our church privi¬ 
leges, notwithstanding the clearness of the injunc¬ 
tion of David, to sing praises to the Lord with 
timbrel and harp in the congregation of the saints, 
—wherever the saints congregate. 


498 The King and His Kingdom 

This clearly defines the manner of singing in 
the public assembly in order to make melody in 
the heart, and give acceptable praise to the Lord. 

If this refers to the time of David then our old 
argument concerning the church beginning under 
Christ is a failure. If we are right there were no 
saints at that time. No saints under the law to 
congregate. A saint is one sanctified and refers 
only to those under the gospel. 

But David as a prophet referred to the coming 
dispensation, and tells us that songs with instru¬ 
mental accompaniment will be acceptable praise 
from the “Children of Zion,” when assembled in 
the church of the saints. 

If David were a prophet as Jesus, and the 
apostles declare, and spoke by the Holy Spirit, he 
certainly said that in the gathering of the saints 
in the congregation of the Lord, the “Children of 
Zion” shall use instrumental music for the praise 
of the Most High. Then those who object are re¬ 
sisting the Holy Spirit. 

If by the “church ot the saints” he did not 
mean those under the New Dispensation, then 
what did he mean? There were no saints under 
the Old Dispensation. Were these injunctions 
prophetic? I can’t see how we can otherwise un¬ 
derstand them. If they were, the controversy is 
ended with believers; and he who is following the 
Holy Spirit in the prophets is walking by faith. 


Praise and Song 


499 


When David said by the Holy Spirit: 

“Let the children of Zion 

Be joyful in their King.” 

-(Ps. 149: 2.) 

Did he refer to Christ and the saints? To the 
kingdom everlasting; of which he speaks in Ps. 
145: 11-13. 

A man who doubts this has not studied proph¬ 
esy to much advantage. If he referred prophet¬ 
ically to Christ as King and His subjects as the 
“Children of Zion” then he says: 

“Let them praise His name on the pipe, 

Let them sing praise unto Him 

With the timbrel and harp.” 

—(Ps. 149: 3). 

That this is so clear to anyone, not anxious to 
sustain some pet dogma, it would seem useless to 
make farther argument upon it. 

I shall therefore assume that David who speaks 
of Christ in the first person, saying, “Thou wilt not 
leave my soul in hell,” etc., speaks of Him in this 
place as the King of Zion’s children. The term 
saint belongs to the gospel dispensation and none 
suppose Paul in Ro. 1: 7 refered to to those of the 
Jewish synagogue; but to the children of God by 
faith in Jesus Christ. Let us now attempt an ex¬ 
egesis of the last psalm. 

I. By the pronoun “Ye” David calls upon all 
who receive the psalm to praise the Lord. 


500 


The King and His Kingdom 


II. Where their praise is to be rendered, “In 
His sanctuary,” “In the firmanent of His power.” 
This must mean wherever He has a sanctuary; 
and wherever His power is revered. 

III. What He shall be praised for, 

“His mighty acts. 

According to His excellent greatness.” 

IV. How it shall be done. 

“Praise Him with the sound of the trumphet, 

Praise Him with psaltery and harp, 

Praise Him with timbrel and pipe, 

Praise Him with stringed instruments and 
organs, 

Praise Him upon the loud cymbals, 

Praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals.” 

V. Who shall praise Him, in this way: “Let 
everything that hath breath praise the Lord.” 

“Praise ye the Lord.” 

All creation, mankind everywhere, whoever 
would praise Him is authorized to praise Him up¬ 
on the psaltery and harp. Not commanded to do 
it at our homes simply; but “In His sanctuary.” 
If God has a sanctuary among us, there may this 
praise be rendered. 

“In the firnament of His power.” 

All who are in the atmosphere of His reign, 
may praise Him then on stringed instruments and 
organs. 


Praise and Song 


501 


If God by His prophets has given us this priv- 
elege; and the privelege has never been revoked; 
what man below the pope of Rome, would dare to 
take it from us? 

That we have not misapprehended David we 
refer you to the following Psalms 33: 2-3 and 81: 
1-4 and 92: 1-3 and 108: 1-3 and 144: 9. 

They explain, that, what the Jews called 
“singing,” was done upon instruments of music. 
It also explains what Paul, who was a Jew, reared 
under the instructions of David, meant by the 
word, “sicg,” in his admonition to the saints. 
Eph. 5: 19 and Col. 3: 16. 

But those opposed admit the Psalms favor in¬ 
strumental music; but claim we are not under 
that dispensation; and therefore they furnish no 
authority on the subject. 

They therefore reject the foregoing argument 
and ask for New Testament precept, or precedent. 

We shall consequently omit further examina¬ 
tion of the old scriptures; and will now seek to as¬ 
certain if Jesus, and the apostles, endorsed the 
practice of praising God with instruments of music, 
as taught and practiced under that dispensation. 
If we find their unqualified endorsement of it, as 
practiced by the Jews, we can certainly control, if 
not compose our own conscience, when practiced 
by the saints under the dispensation in which we 
live. 


502 


The King and His Kingdom 


Before proceeding with our New Testament 
arguments, we will schedule the points over which 
we have passed. 

I. If God has spoken, His word must be 
obeyed. That word is the end of all controversy. 

If He has not spoken, and any man objects for 
conscience sake, he makes his conscience the law T of 
life to another; and interposes an article in our 
creed on which the law of the Lord is silent, and 
violates our bond of union. If he attempts to di¬ 
vide the church upon an untaught question, for 
where there is no law there is no trangression,” he 
is a heretic and after the second admonition should 
be rejected. 

II. That it was the scriptures of the Old Tes¬ 
tament Paul recommended to Timothy for doc¬ 
trine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruc¬ 
tion in righteousness; and to the Roman brethren 
testified, that, “Whatsoever things were written 
afore time, were written for our learning;’’ there¬ 
fore since the New Testament has enjoined praise 
without telling how, or the manner of such praise; 
we can legitimately go back to the former dispen¬ 
sation, and to the record of the past to know 
what will be acceptable to God, whom we love to 
think the same yesterday, today and forever. 

III. That it was practiced both in the jewish 
and patriarchal dispensations with Divine accept 


Praise and Song 


503 


ance; not only in praise and thanksgiving, but al¬ 
so in solemn sadness. 

IV. That the prophets of the Lord did invoke 
a blessing, and the spirit of prophesy, by instru¬ 
mental music in the hands of minstrels; and God 
heard them, and sent upon them the spirit of 
prophery in rich abundance. 

V. That in the temple dedication by Divine 
arrangement the praise was given upon an hund¬ 
red and twenty trumphets, and all manner of in¬ 
struments of music. And this was acceptable to 
God, as was testified to, by the desentof the cloud 
to the most holy place. 

VI. That it was the order under the old dis¬ 
pensation; and it was the subject of prophsy con¬ 
cerning the New, indicating the praise of the saints 
in their congregations. 

VII. That the manner of singing was upon 
instruments of music; and any command given by 
a Jew would carry with it the idea of instrumental 
accompaniment, unless it was expressly stated 
that the singing should differ from the prevailing 
custom. 

We shall next see what we find in the New 
Testament from Christ and the apostles. 


CHAPTER XLII. 

NEW TESTAMENT PRAISE. 

At the time of Jesus and the apostles David 
and his psalms were held in the highest esteem, 
and a quotation from them was the end of all con¬ 
troversy; while Christ ranks them with Moses and 
the prophets. (Luke 24: 44). 

Also, after the day of Pentecosts, the apostles 
often alluded to them as an acknowledged author¬ 
ity; not only by the Jews, but also by all the 
church. Since they were held in such high esteem 
—“being read every Sabath in the synagogues”— 
it cannot be doubted but their injunctions concern¬ 
ing praise to God, were carefully carried out in the 
public devotions of the Jews in all their synagogue 
worship. It cannot for a moment be supposed 
that they could attempt to sing the psalms of 
David, the sear, from which we have been quot¬ 
ing, while holding David as a prophet in the most 
profound respect without using instrumental ac¬ 
companiments. We therefore feel confident in as¬ 
suming that in their temple worship; and in every 
synagogue where David was sung, instrumental 
music accompanied their songs. With all the 


504 


New Testament Praise 


505 


teachings of the Old Testament upon the subject, 
this could not have been otherwise. Therefore 
where Christ prayed, and where the apostles wor¬ 
shipped—where the Divine One stood up to read; 
and where His disciples offered sacrifice; there the 
cymbal, the harp, the cornet, and all manner of 
stringed instruments and organs mingled their 
sounds with the human voice in giving, 

“Praise to God for His Goodness, 

And for His acts unto the children of men.” 
And that, without any protest from Christ 
against the practice, or any allusion to the evil 
thereof. There can be no doubt but it was used 
in temple worship in the days of Christ, and if 
sinful, as some suppose, why was it not driven out 
by the Messiah with the money changers? 

But who has failed to notice the tenacity with 
which old forms and prejudices cling to us, when 
passing from one system to another. 

A Presbyterian uniting with the Methodist 
carries with him his old style of prayer, and wor¬ 
ship; and a Methodist meeting with a Baptist 
carries with him all his Methodistic peculiarities, 
save those only to which he was converted, and 
were the cause of his change of associations. So 
it is in the Christian church, where men have 
gathered from all the different denominations. 
You can easily distinguish from what party they 
came, by their peculiar manner of worship, and 


506 The King and His Kingdom 

form of prayer; while they are one in conversion; 
the design of baptism; faith in the Crucified, and 
all questions taught. 

So when the Jews were converted to Christ, 
their form of worship, manner of praise, and of 
prayer, would of necessity be brought with them 
into their Christian worship, unless by special leg¬ 
islation they were excluded. 

The truth of this corollary is made clear by the 
fact that they did bring in their customs, and 
judaizers, taught the saints to keep the law; and 
legislation was necessary and promptly given by 
inspiration. If they cling to the law, they would 
cling with greater tenacity to David and the 
prophets in their praise service. And especially 
since the Book of Psalms was held in the highest 
repute by the early fathers. While Paul wrote 
against the authority of Moses over Christ’s dis¬ 
ciples he has not left a sylable against David. Cir¬ 
cumcision was ruled out, while prayer and praise 
were encourged, without any instruction upon the 
manner. Therefore we must conclude that the 
former manner would continue. 

If circumcision were to continue without any 
instruction upon the manner, and we could ascer¬ 
tain the Jewish manner of circumcising would we 
doubt the correctness of the act? Then since praise 
was continued from the prophets without any 
correction being given; if we ascertain what was 


New Testament Praise 


507 


acceptable then, and transferred without objections 
or corrections; I see no argument by which it could 
be set aside as unchristian under apostolic instruc¬ 
tion. Since God requires praise, without defining 
it in the gospel, can we be in error by taking such 
illustrations of acceptable praise, as vrere given 
under the Old Dispensation, and was most likely 
transferred from that to the New without any 
remonstrance by the Holy Spirit. And would not 
he be counted “wise above what is written/’ who 
today decrys in the church what the apostles ac¬ 
cepted in silence? “Where God is silent we will he 
silent ” is the pledge of our fellowship and will we 
break it? 

Will we speak against that which the apostles 
endured without a protest? 

Thus reasoning a priori we conclude—with no 
testimony to the contrary—that instrumental 
music was transferred from the Jewish synagogue, 
from which the apostles made many converts, to 
the “Congregation of the saints”; and, that praise 
to God was unchanged by the acceptance of Christ. 
(See Tim. 3: 16). 

Can I be counted less than a covenant breaker, 
if I ignore my pledge to God, and the brethren and 
propose to be more wise than the apostles, and 
disrupt the church of God upon a subject they 
passed in silence; and thus mar the body of the 


508 


The King and His Kingdom 


crucified without any Divine warrant for my 
assumption? 

“Alas for poor human nature,” 

“It is so weak” even in great men. 

But as still stronger evidence we have the 
apostles, unqualified endorsement of the Psalms 
from which we have been quoting. 

Writing to the saints at Colosse Paul says, 
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with 
all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one anoth¬ 
er with psalms and hvmns and spiritual songs .” 

The psalms then used were the Psalms of David 
and the apostles recommend them not only for 
teaching; but, should any err from the truth they 
may be used for admonition. 

To admonish is the first step of church dis¬ 
cipline; therefore the psalms are not only re¬ 
commended by Paul for wholesome doctrine— 
“teaching”—but also for church discipline. 

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” 
Such were the psalms. Timothy knew them from 
childhood. 

With the other scriptures they are “profitable 
for doctrine; for correction; for instruction in 
righteousness.” (1 Tim. 3: 16.) “If any do err 
from the truth,” in singing, “and one convert him 
he has saved a soul, and hid a multitude of sins,” 
(Ja. 5: 19) in the contentions of many. If he can 
find no other scriptures from which to teach and 


New Testament Praise 


509 


admonish he may go to the inspired psalms, which 
is here by the Holy Spirit authorized to be used for 
that purpose. 

But the instructions he must give from Psalms 
is not the kind he desires to give; and himself re¬ 
jects the Divine teaching; and raising the puerile 
cry of “my conscience’ ’ he beclouds the Divine 
light by rejecting such scripture as does not agree 
with his whims. Can such be sound teaching in 
the church of God? Can he who places his con¬ 
science— (or ignorance) — above the scriptures 
which Paul says, may be used for teaching and ad¬ 
monition, say that he would not “Lord it over 
God’s heritage?” Must I respect a brother’s con¬ 
science when placed in opposition to the word of 
God? 

But some may ask even more than this, and 
refuse to hear any but Christ himself. Well, let us 
hear what Christ says upon this perplexing sub¬ 
ject. Will any refuse his teachings, or will they set 
at naught His counsels? If we find He has in¬ 
dorsed the use of musical instruments in praise 
will that satisfy the conscience of those opposing 
it? Let us see what we find. 

When John on Patmos was receiving the 
revelations of his Lord; he saw the Lamb stand¬ 
ing in the midst of the beasts, and the elders, take 
the book. Then all the beasts, and the elders, fell 
down before him “j Having everyone of them harps, 


510 The King and His Kingdom 

and golden vials full of odors which are the pray¬ 
ers of the saints ” etc. (Rev. 5: 8-9). 

“A Lamb stood on Mt. Zion, and with him a 
hundred and forty and four thousand, having his 
Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I 
heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many 
waters; and as the voice of great thunder; and I 
heard the voice of harpers harping with their 
h&rps; and they sung a new song before the 
throne.” (Rev. 14: 1-3). 

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled 
with fire; and them that had gotten the victory 
over the beast, and over his image, and over his 
mark, and over the number of his name, stand on 
the sea of glass having the harps of God, and they 
sung the song, the song of Moses, the servant of 
God; and the song of the Lamb. (Rev. 15: 1-3). 

These discriptures are either facts or figures. 
If facts they show that the enjoyments of instru¬ 
mental music are not fleshly as some affirm; since 
nothing fleshly shall enter before the throne of 
God; but among the glorified everything shall be 
the highest type of spirituality. If a man does not 
enjoy such music it is not because of his spiritual¬ 
ity. When it is too late he may find himself un¬ 
prepared for the enjoyments of that spiritual in¬ 
heritance. If the above is a declaration of facts. 

But if it is a figure then it is Christ’s endorse¬ 
ment of instruments, in the worship of the saints 


New Testament Praise 


511 


on earth. Could He introduce a figure ofglorified 
raptures, the enjoyment of which were forbidden 
in our pilgrimage here? 

What a shock it must have produced upon the 
sensibilities of John, if for half a century, he had 
been preaching against harps, and harping, as be¬ 
longing to the dispensation of the flesh; now to 
behold them in the most rapturous praises of the 
glorified presented by Christ as a figure of their 
enjoyment. Could Christ use a figure, showing 
the highest rapture of the redeemed was in the en¬ 
joyment of sinful pleasure? This cannot be con¬ 
strued, but as an endorsement of praise and wor¬ 
ship, with instruments of music. 

Unless, like some now just ready tocross, they 
are “ harping” without harps, against the use of 
harps in Divine worship. 

I affim therefore that we have the endorse¬ 
ment of Christ, for instruments of music in His 
church on earth. 

The use of such a figure, shows it was prac¬ 
ticed by those to whom the figure was given, or it 
would have been to them no illustration of 
pleasure. 

What a caricature on the wisdom of Christ, to 
picture the marriage of the Lamb, if marriage 
had been denounced by the apostles in the church 
for fifty years, as carnal and unholy. How strange! 

Just before the departure of fohn up to heaven 


512 The King and His Kingdom 

he was exiled to Patmos, and there he saw vis¬ 
ions of the church to the end of the world. And 
passing the mist to the city of gold, he saw the 
saints gathered home around the throne of his Lord; 
singing praises and honor and glory to God and 
the Lamb forever, and ever; evermore; with harps 
in their hands; harping, amid the voice of waters, 
and thunders, as nature joined with the redeemed 
in giving loud sounding praise to God the Most 
High. How would that vision fall upon those 
whom he had taught all his life that such singing 
was sinful. 

Think of Brother Ben Franklin, just before his 
transition, arousing from a comatose state and 
saying to those watching, “I have just had a vis¬ 
ion. I have been up to heaven, and saw the saints 
in their glorified state. They sang with a voice 
like many waters, murmuring, gushing, rushing; 
and roaring, with thunder notes like trumpet 
sounds, singing alleluia, and praise be to God 
and the Lamb; honor, and majesty, and dominion, 
and power, evermore and evermore. And they 
had harps in their hands and organs to play with 
all.” “Stop! stop, Brother Ben,”they would surely 
break in, “Either your preaching or your vision is 
of the devil.” So I know John had not been 
preaching against harps, for the spirit of God 
would not give a vision of sin in the skies. 


Praise and Song 


513 


Here we might rest having found it in the 
church by a fair deduction from reasoning a priori. 
It was practiced under apostolic supervision and 
without any objections to its continued use. 

Jesus himself heard it in the temple, and wor¬ 
shiped with the harp, the psaltery, etc., sounding; 
while the people praised God upon stringed in¬ 
struments and organs. 

2nd. That the apostles not only worshiped in 
the synagogue where they were used, and from 
which they were transferred to the Christian 
church; but they also endorsed David’s psalms as 
the basis of teaching and admonition; which are 
full of instruction for the use of such instruments 
in the “Congregation of the saints.” 

3rd. That Christ Jesus wdien He appeared in 
vision, endorsed its use in such a way as to be 
proof positive that it was favored by John, and 
used in the primitive church. 

Can any more be asked? Would not any addi¬ 
tion to the argument weaken it by superfluity? 
What Christian ordinance is supported by stronger 
proof? 

And yet the argument is not complete till we 
have found positive injunctions for its use; which 
puts the conscience on the other side, and turns 
their favorite passage as a captured battery 
against them, and 1 Cor 8 would bear upon the 
other side. 


514 


The King and His Kingdom 


Guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul in his letter to 
the church says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in 
you richly, in all wisdom, teaching, and admon¬ 
ishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and 
songs spiritual; singing with grace in your hearts 
to the Lord.” (Col. 3:16). 

Speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns 
and songs spiritual; singing and making melody 
in your hearts to the Lord.” (Eph. 5: 19). 

The words used must have been well selected 
since the choice was made by the Holy Spirit. 

“Which things we speak, not in words which 
man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit 
teacheth.” (1 Cor. 2: 13). 

To know the mind of the spirit we must know 
the meaning of the words he uses, whether upon 
the subject of Christian baptism or church psalm¬ 
ody. Let us therefore pause to look up the mean¬ 
ing of the words in the passages cited. 

That neither of them is a thoughtless expres¬ 
sion is evident from their similarity; being written 
to two different churches. 

By putting the passages together we find they 
are to speak to themselves (one another) in cer¬ 
tain ways which are designated as, psalms, and 
hymns, and songs, while the character of the songs 
is to be spiritual. The result of this speaking shall 
be teaching and admonition; and shall be con¬ 
ducted in such a manner as to produce “grace,” 


Praise and Song 


515 


and “melody,” in the heart. That which produces 
this effect upon the heart is by the apostle called 
“singing.” 

Paul’s ideas of singing were obtained from 
Jewish teaching and practice, and were therefore 
in harmony with Jewish ideas. If he meant any¬ 
thing else than Jewish practices, he would have 
explained that meaning in his letters to the 
churches. Therefore whatever means they used to 
produce this peculiar melody in praise he here calls 
“singing,” would be the meaning in the mind of 
the apostle. Let inspiration therefore, define the 
words inspiration uses whenever possible. 

David in giving instructions how to sing in 
the “Congregation of the saints” says, 

“Sing praise unto Him 

With the timbrel and harp.” (Ps. 149: 3,) 

As a Jew Paul used the word with Jewish 
meaning; which meaning must be learned irom 
Jewish teaching, and practice. David was the 
great teacher in music, and in the above passage, 
explains the manner of singing; and therefore Paul 
did not have reference, simply, to the human 
voice. 

Praise the Lord with harps, 

Sing unto Him with psaltery, 

With an instrument of ten strings. 

Sing unto Him a new song; 

Play skillfully with a loud noise. 

-(Ps. 33: 2-3.) 


516 


The King and His Kingdom 


See also Psalms 92: 1-3 and 144: 9. 

These by inspiration define the manner of sing¬ 
ing; and Paul with Jewish prejudices, would use 
the term singing with Jewish meaning as set forth 
in Jewish standards. 

This agrees with Pickering’s definition of the 
Greek word used by Paul; u ac/o,” to sing, “to play 
on a musical instrument.” 

“Sing unto the Lord our strength, 

Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.” 

“Take a psalm; 

Bring hither the trumpet; 

The pleasant harp and the psaltry; 

Blow the trumpet in the new moon, 

At the time appointed, on our solemn feast 
days; 

For this is the statute for Isreal, 

A law of the God of Jacob.” 

—(Ps. 81: 1-4). 

That I am right in the above interpretation of 
the word is clear, from the fact that John, when 
speaking of singing a new song, says, it was done 
with harps in their hand, and he uses the same 
word ( ado ) which Paul here uses. (See Rev. 5: 9 
and 14: 2-3 and 15: 2-9). 

This shows the apostolic use of the word, and 
how singing was done. Paul commanding them 
to sing; and John giving an example of the man¬ 
ner of singing, viz., “With harps in their hands.” 


Praise and Song 


517 


David also explaining it to be with instrumental 
accompaniment. Surely this ought to put an end 
to the strife. Especially since this is the only word 
used as authority against instruments in song. 

We have thus by inspiration sustained the de¬ 
finition of Pickering of the word Paul used; and 
both scripturallv and philologically we have 
shown that the apostle had as much reference to 
instrumental, as to vocal music. 

But in the passages cited there are three other 
words used, of which few have any idea of the dif¬ 
ference between them. In my early travels I found 
no man who could give a distinction between a 
song, a hymn, and a psalm. 

The bible uses the three as distinct and those 
wishing to understand the bible, should know the 
distinction. 

These words used by Paul are nouns—the 
names of somthing designated by the name used. 
The philological meaning of the terms must be 
had, or we can never know how to produce the 
effect required. 

What is a psalm, a hymn, or a song? This 
must be answered by the lexicons; not by specula¬ 
tion. 

Song is from odee , which Pickering defines,“an 
ode, a poem, a song.” Grove defines it, “a song, 
ode, verse.” 


518 The King and His Kingdom 

It is the thing to be sung, and refers not the 
manner of singing. If you have a poem you have 
a song, whether sung or unsung. The poem itself 
constitues the song. The term is so used by all, 
and so understood. 

But what is a hymn? Can we make clear the 
distinction? What is the meaning of the word 
used in the passage, and translated hymns? 

Webster says hymn is from humnos. “The 
word primarily expressed the tune, but it is used 
for the ode or poem.” 

It is not the modern use we wish; but the pri¬ 
mary meaning. How did the apostles use it? The 
English of it means to hum. A song hummed is a 
hymn. It is a song sung without the cherring 
notes of instrumental music. 

See Pickering’s Greek Lexicon. 

Psalm is from psalmos from psallo. 

See Webster’s English Lexicon, late edition. 

It means playing and singing to the psaltery, 
harp or other stringed instruments. 

“Its original meaning was to touch, to play on 
stringed instruments, to cause to vibrate.” (Pick¬ 
ering). 

Psalma means an air played on a stringed in¬ 
strument, a song accompanied by the harp. 

Psalmos, a psalm, originally meant the 
twang of a bow string. 


Praise and Song 


519 


From that it came to mean the twitching of 
the chords of a stringed instrument into musical 
harmonies; and then into accompaniments to 
hymns. 

The song or poem arranged to be thus sung, 
soon obtained the name of psalm, as by metonymy 
we call a house for church meetings, a church. 

This whole family of words has reference to 
instrumental music; and it is impossible to have a 
psalm without an instrument. You may sing 
hymns or read songs without an instrument, but a 
psalm you cannot have. The instrument is in the 
word just as certainly as immersion is in the word 
baptidzo. Therefore when the apostle permits a 
psalm he gives license for instrumental music. 

“How is it then, brethren? When ye come to¬ 
gether, every one of you hath a psalm, hath teach¬ 
ing, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an inter¬ 
pretation? Let every thing be done unto edify¬ 
ing.” (1 Cor. 14: 26). 

With such license from an inspired apostle, 
shall I keep back those who have been educated in 
such music from calling it forth in praise to God? 
I have a tongue but no hymn. Some have a doc¬ 
trine; and some have an exhortation, while some 
have only a psalm. Shall I step between them and 
the Holy Spirit, and command silence when God 
has commanded their service? 


520 


The King and His Kingdom 

“I will sing with the spirit and I sing with the 
understanding also.” (1 Cor. 14: 15). 

The word here rendered “will sing” in both 
places is psallo. 

Grove defines it “to touch, strike softH, to 
play on the harp, to praise, to celebrate.” 

Pickering defines it,“psallo, to touch gently, to 
touch or play on a stringed instrument, to cause 
to vibrate, to play.” 

From the above it is certain this passage furn¬ 
ishes but little consolation to those whose con¬ 
sciences are defiled. It is very hard to get the hu¬ 
man voice into the passage at all while it is im¬ 
possible, utterly, to get the instrument out of it. 

This passage has been the “shiboleth” of the 
sound men of the reformation; and it has been 
amusing to note the stress they put upon the 
word “sing;” and with what triumph they have 
quoted it in defense of their dogma; when the 
apostle literally said, “I will play uponastringed 
instrument with the spirit; and I will play upon a 
stringed instrument with the understanding 
also.” 

If I am not correct in this, I will give up the 
whole argument on baptism, and say nothing can 
be learned from the use of words. 

“When ye come together each one of you hath 
a psalm.” 


Praise and Song 


521 


The psalm indicates the presence of an instru¬ 
ment; the “coming together” indicates the church 
assembly. What God has joined shall man sep- 
erate? 

But let us come to the “Old Reliable” passage 
and see what it teaches, “singing and making mel¬ 
ody in your hearts to the Lord.” (Eph. 5: 19). 

On this passage there has been much noise. 
Had there been any “lightening,” I would have 
thought it thunder, but as there has been no light 
manifest it must have been an earthquake and 
came from below instead of above. “God was 
not in the earthquake.” 

Let us forget the noise for a moment while we 
try its strength. 

“Singing and making melody.” 

Here are two distinct actions expressed by two 
distinct participles. Just as distinct as “repent 
and be baptized.” The Greek expression is adontes 
kai psallontes. 

The first is the present participle of ado and as 
we have shown means to sing to an instrument— 
with instrumental accompaniment. 

That we were correct in our definition will 
appear in the examination of this passage. 

The second is the present participle of psallo , 
which we have shown to mean to play an instru¬ 
ment as a harp psaltery or any stringed instru¬ 
ment. The litteral rendering of the passage is: 


522 


The King and His Kingdom 


“Singing and playing upon an instrument 
according to the heart.’’ 

The desires, impulses, longings or understand¬ 
ing of the heart. 

The whole passage would read: 

“Speaking to each other in a poem” read; “a 
hymn” sung in chorus, or a solo; “or a psalm” 
sung with instrumental accompaniment. “Singing 
and playing unto the Lord according to the hearts 
understanding. ’ ’ 

You sing and play, not for fleshfy enjoyment; 
but because the heart is aglow with Divine love. 

I have given the litteral meaning of the apos¬ 
tolic injunction. Both words used express vocal 
and instrumental strains combined; but the one is 
used to express the preponderance of the vocal; 
while the other expresses a large preponderance of 
the instrumental, if any vocal can be found at all 
in it. But the manner in which they are used by 
the apostle shows that the two acts were distinct 
in his mind—vocal singing and instrumental play¬ 
ing. The expression harmonizes perfectly with 
the former part of the passage in which he gives 
them their choice between reading an ode—a poem; 
or singing a hymn; or with harp rendering a psalm. 
He then adds, “Let the singing and playing be 
unto the Lord according to the heart.” 

But in scripture usage heart usually refers to 
the understanding—the judgment. 


Praise and Song 


523 


In the parallel passage (Col. 3: 17) he adds: 
“Whatsoever you do, in word or deed”—singing 
or playing—“do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 
giving thanks unto the Father by him.” Word or 
deed means expression or action. Song read or 
hymn sung is expression—word; and psalm played 
is action—deed—the acting of praise with instru¬ 
mental strains; and this he refers to as “word or 
deed”; “Singing and making melody” or playing. 

But as a further demonstration of the correct¬ 
ness of my position I would call attention to the 
fact that the word “hymn” is only used six times 
in the New Testament. Twice in its present form 
in the passages above quoted; where it is used as 
distinct from the word psalm; and once in the 
future tense where it is rendered “I will sing 
praise”; (literally “sing hymns,”) and three times 
where it is used in the past tense; giving the history 
of past events. 

The first is at the Lord’s supper. They had 
gathered in an upper room where the simple feast 
was made ready. The passover was first eaten. 
Then the loaf was broken; and the cup was then 
passed. When all this was over the record of that 
wonderful event closes with the following: “And 
when they had sung a hymn, they went out into 
the Mount of Olives.” (Matt. 26: 30, Mark 
14: 26). 


524 


The King and His Kingdom 


It will be remembered that this was in a pri¬ 
vate room. Instruments of music were then kept 
for public use, and were not found in private 
homes; and therefore, this act of praise must be 
without them; and the historian calls it an hymn. 
Had instruments been provided, and had the 
publicans and fisherman been trained to use them, 
as was the temple choir, it would have been called 
a psalm. 

Adam Clark tells us it is certain from the 
universal consent of Jewish antiquities that this 
hymn was composed of Psalms 113, 114, 115, 
116 and 117, termed by the Jews “Aa/e/.” (Notes 
on Matt. 26: 30). 

Ah! It was one of the psalms they sung. Then 
why not call it a psalm? Why this distinction by 
inspiration? The only answer is, that, anciently 
they, only, who were trained in the use of harps, 
etc., could play them; and as they were restricted 
principly in their use to temple worship, the un¬ 
trained fisherman and publican apostles, must 
render their song of praise in a solemn chant, dur¬ 
ing their private devotions in an upper room. 
Hence a psalm sung without an instrument is not 
a psalm; but a hymn, though it be one of what 
Christ calls David’s psalms.” 

The remaining place where hymn is used is 
when Paul and Silas were cast into the “inner 
prison.” “And at midnight they prayed and 


Praise and Song 


525 


sang praises ( humnos ) unto God.” (Acts 16:25). 
Literally sang a hymn. 

It was not a psalm because they were in an 
inner prison; in the stocks, having been beaten; 
and their devotions were private—there is no law 
for instruments in private devotions—and their 
song of praise could not have been a psalm; 
though it was most likely one of David’s odes of 
devotion; and therefore the record calls it just 
what it must have been, “a hymn” (humnos.) 
How strangely accurate is inspiration in the use 
of these three words. 

“Is any among you afflicted let him pray. Is 
any merry let him sing psalms.” (Ja. 5: 13.) 
Let him psallo. Literally play a harp or stringed 
instrument. I wonder if our very conscientious 
brethren will be as anxious to carry out this in¬ 
junction ot the Holy Spirit, and let the merry 
have an instrument and sing a psalm, as they 
have been to make their strong prejudice, a weak 
conscience, and lay it down as a creed for their 
brethren. 

Since brethren have broken their pledge—our 
bond of union—and have not been silent where 
they claim God has been silent; will they now 
break the other part of that pledge and refuse to 
speak where God has spoken? “Is any merry let 
him sing a psalm.” The happy do it on the other 


526 


The King and His Kingdom 


shore and who art thou, that would lord it over 
God’s heritage, on this side oi the river. 

“Sing aloud unto God our strength, 

Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob; 

Take a psalm and bring hither the timbrel; 

The pleasant harp with the psaltery; 

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon; 

In the time appointed on our solemn feast; 

For this is a statute for Israel; 

A law of the God of Jacob.” 

-(Ps. 81: 1-4.) 

Israel did not die at the cross with the law. 
God said, “I will make a new covenant with the 
house of Israel.” (Jer. 31: 31.) Then it is Israel 
under the new covenant. Paul argues that we 
under Christ, are the true Israel of God; and the 
mark of our citizenship is the circumcision of the 
heart in the spirit. If I am right, then the statute 
for Israel reaches to us; and commands us to use 
instruments to make a joyful noise when we sing 
aloud unto God our strength. 

With a brief schedule of our New Testament 
argument we will conclude this present chapter. 

I. From the Jewish synagogue it was trans¬ 
ferred to the congregations of the saints; as it was 
commanded to be used wherever the saints con¬ 
gregate; and there it was used without a protest 
from the Holy Spirit in the day of the apostles. 
And as direct legislation was given upon 


Praise and Song 


527 


every subject of Jewish practice not designed 
to continue in the church of Christ; therefore we 
have Christ and the apostles giving their silent en¬ 
dorsement of the practice. 

II. The unqualified endorsement of the Holy 
Spirit of those scriptures that teach the practice; 
and the placing of the psalms of David on the list 
of authorities in the church, to be used not only 
for instruction; but also for discipline, (“admoni¬ 
tion”) without discrimination, and therefore, the 
instruction of these psalms, upon this subject, can¬ 
not be ignored. 

III. We have found that Jesus by a figure to 
John on the Isle ol Palmos, did endorse the use of 
harps in worship. And by the use of such a figure 
to John, it is clearly shown that they were in use 
in the church in the days of the beloved disciple; 
and had never been objected to in the church of 
the apostles. 

IV. The command to sing was given with 
the Jewish interpretation of the word in the mind 
of the apostle; and he therefore expected the church 
to^carry out the Jewish practice, which was de¬ 
fined by David as being done with instrumental 
accompainments. 

The Holy Spirit also used a word with that 
same meaning embodied in itself; in which there 
can be no mistake. 


528 


The King and His Kingdom 

V. That in the distinction made by Paul be¬ 
tween hymns, and psalms, he authorized the use of 
instrumental music in the worship of the church. 

That the word as used by him has no other 
meaning, except as distinct from singing without 
instruments. 

VI. That it is positively commanded by the 
apostles and thus authorized by the Holy Spirit 
under the gospel dispensation. This should end 
the controversy. “Where God speaks we will 
speak.” 


A DDENDUM 


The proof reading has been poorly done. I 
shall correct only where the sense is made obscure. 

Page 65, line 19 for spirits read spirit. 

“ 68, “ 6 for pertain read pertains. 

“ 77, “ 11 for Buddism read Buddhism always. 

“ 89, “ 5 for teaching read treachery. 

“ 113, “ 7 for make read makes. 

“ 113, “ 14 for hate read hates. 

“ 129, “ 2 for summary, 

“ 132, “ 19 for attributes read attributes. 

“ 190 and 191, passim agapa read agapoe. 

“ 200, line 8, for spoken by read spoken to. 

“ 206, “ 14, for are lost read or lost. 

“ 206, “ 19, for Father read fathers. 

“ 214, “ 16 and 24 for was read were. 

“ 223, “ 8 for anathanes read anathemas. 

“ 225, “ 16 for man’s read men’s. 

“ 240, “ 23 for read brilliant. 

“ 241, “ 4 for Beloveth read Beloved. 

“ 253, “ 23 for hear read here. 

“ 257, “ 13 for Steven read Stephen always. 

“ 259, “ 11 for diakoneo read diakonos. 

“ 260, “ 6 for “ “ “ 

“ 261, “ 18 for dmkonos “ “ 

“ 262, “ 2 for diakoneo read diakonos. 

“ 262, “ 7 for diakoneo read diakonia. 

“ 279, “ 23 for Selisia read Seleucia. 

“ 286, “ 16 for pass read passed. 

“ 289, “ 1 for give read gave. 

“ 301, “ 4 for radient read valiant. 

“ 304, ‘ 2 for adversity read adversary. 

“ 332, “ 24 for Deut. 13 read Deut. 18. 

“ 342, “ 14 for helps read helps for. 

“ 364, “ 13 for developed read is developed. 

“ 374, “ 26 for attention read attraction. 

“ 384, “ 10 for wanting read wanted. 

" 400, “ 14 for enjoying read envying. 

“ 419, “ 17 for portions read portions of. 
















viaY 2 8 


MAY 28 1902 

tCOPY DEL. lOLAT.iiiv, 

MAY 39 1902 


JUN. 4 1902 




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